


Memento Mori ++

by ShoujoCamui



Category: GOT7
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - High School, Anal Sex, Bad Decisions, Bad Parenting, Betrayal, Blackmail, Blood Kink, Blow Jobs, Boyband, Boyfriends, Boys In Love, Break Up, Breaking Up & Making Up, Brotherly Love, Car Accidents, Coming of Age, Consensual Underage Sex, Crimes & Criminals, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Dating, Dead People, Death, Denial of Feelings, Despair, Disappointment, Disapproving Family, Divorce, Dominance, Edgeplay, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Existential Angst, Explicit Language, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Family Loss, Fetish, Fights, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, Forgiveness, Friendship/Love, Gay Bar, Gay Sex, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Guilty Pleasures, Hand Jobs, Heavy Angst, Heavy Petting, Heterosexuality, Illegal Activities, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Inappropriate Behavior, Internal Conflict, Jealousy, Lack of Communication, Language Kink, Long-Distance Relationship, Long-Term Relationship(s), Loss of Parent(s), Loss of Virginity, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Love/Hate, M/M, Male Friendship, Male Homosexuality, Masturbation, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Mind Manipulation, Minor Character Death, Misunderstandings, Morbid, Mother-Son Relationship, Multi, Mutual Masturbation, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Nudity, Obsession, One-Sided Relationship, Open Relationships, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Other, Passive-aggression, Past Relationship(s), Payback, Plot Twists, Polyamory, Poor Life Choices, References to Illness, Regret, Revenge, Revenge Sex, Rival Relationship, Rough Oral Sex, Sad with a Happy Ending, Self-Hatred, Self-Medication, Sex Positions, Sexting, Sexual Content, Sexual Fantasy, Sharing a Bed, Shower Sex, Slow Burn, Step-Brothers, Step-Sibling Incest, Submission, Suicidal Thoughts, Survivor Guilt, Swearing, Teenage Drama, Teenagers, Threesome - M/M/M, Trainee, Trauma, Triggers, Twins, Underage Drinking, Underage Kissing, Unhealthy Relationships, Unrequited Love, Violent Thoughts, Virginity, Yaoi, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:29:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 63
Words: 285,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21796879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShoujoCamui/pseuds/ShoujoCamui
Summary: A teenage Mark moves to Korea after facing a tragedy. Two brothers and a couple of other individuals suddenly become part of his new life. Got7 is about to be born.
Relationships: Choi Youngjae & Im Jaebum | JB, Im Jaebum | JB/Mark Tuan, Mark Tuan/Jackson Wang, Park Jinyoung/Jackson Wang, Park Jinyoung/Mark Tuan
Comments: 661
Kudos: 247





	1. Eclipse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the Lims.

A tragedy and a double loss. Two saddening events happened at the same time in the life of a typical American young man. While driving a car with his family on the streets of LA, Mark Tuan never imagined that it would be his last road trip with all of them. Lives were torn apart in a blink of an eye. His father and brother died, while both he and his mother survived. 

Mother and son dealt with their grief differently. Even though the real estate agent Dorine Tuan tried to distract herself from bereavement, by increasing her working hours, whenever she came home late at night, she couldn’t bear to sleep in an empty bed, or say good night to only one of her sons. Mark's mother clearly was having a hard time coping with the loss of her youngest kid and her husband, so as soon as she got an opportunity to leave those old memories behind, she accepted a job in South Korea to start over again.

Dorine’s decision wasn’t well received by the teenager and he refused to take off with her. Instead of doing his best to forget the past, Mark seemed imprisoned in it. He wanted to be surrounded by every single vestige of his late father and brother. Unlike Dorine, who moved to another country, the young man was neither able to distance himself emotionally nor physically from the place he lived with his family. Therefore, the American remained in California, living with his aunt. He stayed away from his estranged Mom for a year and a half without much interaction between them, till one day, she spent more than an hour on the phone with him. Some shocking news were about to change his life one more time. Dorine had gotten married with a divorced South Korean gentleman and she decided that Mark should come live with them.

At first, Mark thought it was a sick joke. But then she kept describing to him all the wonderful qualities of her new husband. She tried to convince the 17-year-old that they should reconnect again and triumph over their past afflictions. She finally told Mark that it was time to leave the Tuan's house and join the Lims. That was the moment when a cruel reality hit him. She wasn’t simply asking him to join her, she was ordering Mark to take a flight she had already booked for him. All the teenager was offered was a one-way ticket to Asia. He tried to reason with Dorine, he begged his mother to let him stay in The U.S., yet, she was adamant about having him by her side again.

There was nothing he could do. And although the idea of leaving his own house, friends and boyfriend behind made him sick to the stomach, he had no choice but to obey his mother. He was a minor, and Dorine still had some sort of authority over him. He just had to tough it up, abandon his own country and join his mother and her new family on the other side of the world, whether he wanted it or not.

The young man unwillingly did what he was told. Frustration, anger and resentment piled up inside him, but deep down, he felt like he owed that to his mother, after all, his Dad and his little brother would still be alive if it wasn't for his reckless driving.

As soon as his plane landed in Seoul, he had no idea what to do, or where to go, but his Mom informed him that someone would be at the airport to pick him up and drive him to the Lims’ house.

"You're him. You're Mark, aren't you?" A young man about his age tapped on his shoulder while he sat on one of the airport benches surrounded by his luggage. Mark could only understand him because since he was very young his father enrolled him in several language courses in order to fully prepare Mark to take over the family business in the future. However, the boy only acquired a satisfactory fluency in the Korean language because he had a half-Korean boyfriend back in America. Until that moment, he never thought he would actually use the language in its native territory.

"That's right. Are you here to pick me up?" Mark asked as he turned around. As soon as he did, the young man’s fine features suddenly took him aback. If the American wasn’t so vexed with the fact that he had just left his home country, he would’ve smiled. Korean guys were definitely his type, and this one was unbelievably handsome. The gorgeous broad shoulders, the shiny silky hair, his impossibly sharp jaw, and the two sexy moles above his fierce eyes were aesthetically flawless. 

"That’s right. I'm Lim Jaebeom, your stepbrother, to be more precise. Welcome to Seoul. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mark. I've been looking forward to it." The friendly young man uttered politely and extended his hand to him. The American refused to greet him and the smile, which he never visibly gave the other boy, just died on his lips.

“I wish I could say the same.” The American said dryly as he watched Jaebeom’s face fall a little. The Korean simply dismissed his rudeness and grabbed one of his suitcases.

“The car is outside. Let’s go. We don’t wanna be late for school.”

“Fuck that! I’m not attending this stupid school of yours anyways. I’m even not staying in this damn country. I’m gonna be eighteen soon and I’ll get the hell out of here.” Mark exclaimed, as he tried to take his luggage from Jaebeom’s grip and failed miserably. His stepbrother was definitely strong, he quickly took note of that.

“Dorine told me you would be difficult. I understand where you’re coming from. But can we please postpone this war and just get in the car for now?” the Korean raised an eyebrow at him, but his tone remained soft.

“Shit. I hate this.” An irritated Mark muttered to himself in English, running an impatient hand through his hair. However, it didn’t take long for him to follow the Korean to the parking lot and let the other put both his suitcases inside the trunk of the car. Before Jaebeom turned the key in the ignition to start the vehicle, he glanced at the fuming American on the passenger seat and tried to console him.

“Look, I heard you didn’t wanna come here. It sucks that you have to play by her rules because she’s your Mom. No one should be forced to do things against their will, but sometimes, in life, we don’t always get to choose what we want. At some point, we gotta learn to accept stuff that we cannot control. I can’t even imagine how it feels to see your life change so drastically. I know it’s not easy to warm up to a new family overnight. But the Lims are pretty easygoing and we will definitely have your back. You can count on us. We are not so bad, you know? Soon you’ll get used to the country, the people, the food, the language and the weather. It will get better, trust me, just give it some time.” Jaebeom sounded sympathetic, and he gave off an air of maturity that somehow, soothed Mark’s ire.

“Can you shut up and just drive already?” The American crossed his arms and glared at the Korean. Jaebeom sighed in defeat and finally started the car.

The drive to the Lims’ house was deafening silent. Even though Jaebeom tried to strike up a conversation about daily trivial topics just to get to know his stepbrother better, the American stubbornly kept to himself and ignored him. The resigned Korean finally stopped talking and decided to put some music on. After a few minutes of listening to Jaebeom’s setlist, Mark glanced at the iPod connected to the car stereo and glanced at its owner.

“What? Does the music bother you? I can turn it off if you want me to.” Jaebeom asked as he noticed the other’s eyes on him.

“Do what you want, it’s your car.” Mark replied, but his tone wasn’t as harsh as earlier.

“What about the songs? How do you like them?” the Korean insisted, eager to know the American’s opinion regarding his musical taste.

“I can’t understand half of it.”

“I listen to American stuff too. It’s not like I can understand the lyrics, but I enjoy it anyways.”

“The singers are not so bad.” The answer came quick this time. Mark didn’t wanna sound like close-minded music appreciator.

“Well, one of them is me. Can’t you tell? Thanks for the compliment by the way.” Jaebeom smiled widely as he saw the look on his stepbrother’s dumbstruck face.

“You sing?” Mark raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously.

“And compose too. Don’t I look like the singing type? The song you just heard is called _Tomorrow, Today_. It’s the result of a school project that I did with a classmate. We called ourselves JJP.”

“JJP? What does it stand for?” Mark sounded interested in the topic and Jaebeom felt more than proud for being able to capture his attention for the first time since he greeted him at the airport.

“You actually wanna know more about me now, right? Am I imaging things or we’ve just found out that we’ve got something in common?” Jaebeom couldn’t stop smiling and Mark didn’t miss the way the other boy’s eyes almost disappeared from his swoon-worthy face. Actually, he found it extremely cute, but he wouldn’t comment on that. He was absolutely sure that if they were in a parallel universe, they would have hit it off pretty fast.

“You’re reading too much into it. Everybody likes music. Don’t get ahead of yourself.” The American retorted, suddenly reminding himself who was the guy sitting beside him and how he wasn’t supposed to get closer to anyone in Korea. After all, he wasn’t planning to stay.

“We’re here.” Jaebeom announced as he parked the car in front of the Lims’ residence. Mark just glared at the entrance and got out of the car as soon as it came to a stop. They both removed Mark’s suitcases from the trunk and got into the house. Jaebeom motioned the other to follow him and gave Mark a quick tour of the house. When they entered a certain bedroom with two single beds, the Korean was forced to clarify a couple of things to his stepbrother.

“We’re sharing this room, until the other one is completely vacant.” Jaebeom sighed heavily.

“Don’t you think we’re too old to share a single bedroom? What’s wrong with the other one anyway?” Mark argued as he pointed to another room next to the Korean’s.

“It was my brother’s. But since the divorce he’s living with my Mom. Some of his stuff is still in there.” Jaebeom said, a bit of discomfort clearly shown on his face. Suddenly Mark realized he wasn’t the only one going through changes. His family wasn’t the only one facing a hard time. Loss could take form in several ways and in different dimensions. He wondered if Jaebeom blamed Dorine for his parents’ divorce.

“Look, I wasn’t joking when I told you my stay here is temporary. But while I’m in this house, if you need my help to ruin this shitty marriage, you just have to say so.” Mark assured the other boy with a firm look. Jaebeom just shook his head in disapproval.

“Don’t even think of it. My father is a happier man since your mother showed up in his life.” His tone was serious.

“I bet your Mom disagrees with you.” Mark shot back, as he cocked his head to the side and noticed how his stepbrother squinted his eyes at him. His expression turned cold suddenly.

“You don’t know nothing about my mother.”

“I could tell you the same! You have no idea how mine is. And since you got this crazy idea in your head that Dorine can make your father happy, well think again, because that heartless bitch loves nobody but herself! And once she gets tired of playing house with your Dad, she’ll freakin’ abandon him and move on to the next suitor.” Mark was already shouting, and Jaebeom couldn’t help but feel a bit intimidated by his explosion, so he quickly changed the subject.

“Listen, man, I was told to fix you some breakfast before taking you to school. We’re gonna meet my Dad and your Mom there.”

“My flight was motherfucking long and I’m still jetlagged. I don’t give two shits about school or breakfast right now. I’m not going anywhere with you Lim Jaebeom.” The American remarked and the way he pronounced the Korean’s name brought a smirk to his stepbrother’s lips.

“Your Korean needs polishing.” He chuckled.

“Fuck you!” The American gave him the finger.

“I can’t believe you’re older than me. You just sound like a stubborn child.”

“How old are you?” Mark looked puzzled for a second while frowning at the Korean.

“I just turned 17 and as far as I know you’ll be 18 soon, right? Should I call you hyung?” Jaebeom asked, not sure if the other had ever heard of Korean honorific titles.

“Just go to you damn school and leave me be.” The American barked mercilessly.

“Look, my Dad is the school’s principal and your Mom is the school’s counselor. We go there, we say hi to them and I bring you back home to get some rest. What do you say?” the younger suggested. That hyung was really trying his patience.

“Are you serious?! Dorine is the fucking counselor of your school? And I’m supposed to study there? Why the hell is she not selling houses? I mean, she’s a goddamn real estate agent! What is she doing looking after other kids’ well-being when she’s incapable of taking care of her own son?” Mark was even more furious now. Jaebeom knew he had to choose his words carefully, before he could make the situation worse.

“Well, she has a master’s degree in school counseling too, but I think you already know that. Actually, she met my father when she went for an interview at Kirin High School, and she’s been working there since then.” Jaebeom informed him, as he picked up his backpack from a chair and slowly pushed the other out of the room. The American seemed to ponder Jaebeom’s words before answering him.

“You know what? I’ve changed my mind. Let’s go there. I guess I’ll only believe this farce when I see it with my own eyes.” Mark declared, as he walked alongside the Korean to the front door.

“Just don’t try anything funny, okay? We should stay away from our parents’ love life. It’s not really our business. Everybody is allowed a second chance, give that to your mom.” Jaebeom stated, as he grabbed his car keys and walked out of the house. Mark wanted to tell his stepbrother to shut up and stop patronizing him, but he remained silent.

Kirin High School wasn’t very far from the Lims’ house, and as soon as the two young men arrived, Jaebeom could tell that Mark had no intention of being reasonable. When Dorine went to hug her son, the boy became stiff. She thanked Jaebeom for bringing Mark there and took the American to her office. The Korean just smiled and wished his stepmom good luck. He was about to go to his classroom when he heard the sound of something breaking inside the room. He wondered if anybody was hurt, but he didn’t dare to go inside. Mark’s yelling could be heard from every corner of the school corridors.

Inside the counselor’s office, Mark accused his mother of being a heartless negligent widow who wanted to sabotage his life. Jaebeom remained outside the door, still unsure if he should intervene in the reunion between mother and son. The 'conversation' was most in English, but he could tell that nothing positive was being discussed. After 15 minutes of listening to more shouting between mother and soon, his father found him there, crouching against the door. Mr. Lim gave him a pat on the back and told the young man to go to class. The principal of Kirin High entered the room as soon as he saw his son disappear through one of the corridors.

"Is everything all right in here?" He asked as soon as he came in. He had knocked on the door first, but he had gotten no response.

"It will be, don’t worry. Mark, meet Lim Taek-geun, your stepfather.” Dorine said a bit unsettled as she pointed to the man now in the center of the room. There was a plant vase thrown on the floor, and her table was a mess. Her husband chose to not comment on that.

“Hello, Mark. Welcome to the family. I hope we can get along from now on, son.” Mr. Lim gave the boy a thin smile while extending his right hand to the boy. Mark refused to even acknowledge his presence. The principal tried hard to ignore the tears forming in his wife’s eyes. Dorine had told him about how Mark had become ‘unruly’ after his father and brother’s death, and she also warned him that she would be the one to deal with the kid as soon as he arrived in Korea. Taek-geun should not interfere.

“Mark, don’t be rude. Raymond and I raised you better than that. At least have the decency of greeting him.” She demanded weakly, as she observed how the boy’s expression darkened. The mention of his father’s name almost made him choke. The teenager sniffed and swallowed hard before meeting Mr. Lim’s eyes.

“We’re not family and we will never be. Let me clarify some things to you, Mr. Lim. I’m not your kid, you’re not my Dad, I don’t have a brother, and this woman, should never, ever, call herself a mother. I do pity you and your son, sir. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. Have a good day, Mr. Lim.” Mark said firmly as he grasped the man’s hand without enthusiasm and shook it three times. Then he excused himself. However, he didn’t leave the room before bowing to the man and shooting a spiteful glare at his mother’s direction. Dorine’s husband first impression of the teenager was that despite his rebellious demeanor, the kid was clearly hurting. He only hoped that the Lims could change that, and turn his pain into hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole gang shall come together in the next chapters. Just wait for it!:]


	2. Arrival and Turbulence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark starts getting used to his new environment.

_“Are you fucking kidding? He’s hot as hell! Have you seen his face? I mean, no one in this school can rival his beauty. Mrs.Tuan shouldn’t have hidden her gorgeous son from us for so long.”_

Mark had already gotten tired of those kind of comments. Whenever he was in his classroom or at the cafeteria, the scenery was the same, people gathered to comment about his looks. He was used to be treated as an average kid in his former school, and the fact that now he had to deal with girls admiring him from afar all the time, made him feel a bit too self-conscious. It was his second day at Kirin High, and his patience was already wearing thin. He never imagined Korean could be that tough. Now that all the classes he attended were given in that complex language, he could already see himself failing in all subjects.

He was trying hard to ignore all the constant stares directed at his table, and when he felt he couldn’t take it anymore, he decided to leave the cafeteria. However, as soon as he stood up, a hand grabbed his arm and dragged him away from the eyes that followed his every movement. Mark was about to snap at the person manhandling him, but when he heard the fluent English coming out of his mouth, he simply relaxed. Oh, and the owner of that hand caught him by surprise. The boy’s looks took his breath away.

“Hi, I’m Jackson and I’m about to save your life.” The teenager stated, as he stared at the American. Mark was still too stunned to register what the other was saying.

“I’m sorry, what?” he was still too distracted by the handsomeness of the young man before him.

“Are you deaf or something? We gotta go now! The whole soccer team is about to eat you alive.” Jackson said with some urgency in his voice.

“This gotta be a mistake, I don’t know anyone here. I just transferred to this school and I didn’t even have the opportunity to make enemies.” Mark looked at him in disbelief.

“Well, they already consider you one. You got the attention of the team captain’s girlfriend, so yes, you’re fucked. You should skip the rest of your classes today. Look, I know JB, he’s my pal, okay? Now follow me if you wanna survive this.” Jackson kept walking to the school’s exit and Mark just trusted his intuition and followed him.

“Who’s JB?” Mark asked as he tried to keep up with the other’s pace.

“Your new bro, Jaebeom.” Jackson said shortly, and Mark just sighed in frustration. If his stepbrother thought that saving him from a couple of bullies would earn him some points, he didn’t know Mark yet.

“Where are we going?” the American asked a bit uncertain when the other sped up.

“Somewhere safe. You’ll see.” He told him quickly.

“How come your English is so good?” Mark was indeed mystified by the boy.

“I’m from Hong Kong, sweetheart. You’re not the only foreigner in this school. Perhaps, the only one this alluring.” Jackson informed him with a smirk. Mark frowned at the boy, but he didn’t dislike the nickname or the flattering comment. He didn’t miss the way Jackson eyed him up and down and winked at him. For a moment, Mark thought the Hongkonger was flirting with him, but then he dismissed that thought and reminded himself that he wasn’t single. There was someone waiting for him in America, and he intended to go back there soon.

“Well, thanks for doing this. I mean, even if it’s for my dearest stepbrother.” Mark paused, as sarcasm coated his words. “I guess I owe him one now. I certainly didn’t come to fucking Korea to become the typical bullied kid.” The American huffed as he noticed Jackson’s steps come to a halt.

Mark noticed they were in a deserted area of the school that looked like a storage site where old stuff was discarded. Suddenly a gate opened and an unfriendly young man approached him and Jackson.

“Who are you? And what exactly I’m doing here?” Mark demanded, as he glanced at a smirking Jackson, who still eyed him in the most inappropriate way. The American knew then that something was definitely wrong.

“Hah, come on. Everybody in this school knows me. I’m the infamous Junior! I used to be in the soccer team. The best player of all seasons, by the way. But all the attention I was receiving kinda of bored me. Then I got tired of it. Those days are long gone now, yet, my contribution to the team will never be forgotten.” the boy told him presumptuously, in a mocking tone.

“Oh, should I be impressed? I just transferred schools, you see, I am not familiar with all the popular crowd and the silly titles yet. But now you’ve got my attention. You instructed your sneaky comrade to bring me all the way here and ambush me. How can I help you, Junior?” Mark wasn’t intimidated by the new face. The boy definitely had a presence, his looks were overwhelming, but Mark already disliked him. He detested to be fooled by other people.

“I saw you earlier talking to the captain’s girlfriend in front of the school. What was that about? Do you have any business with her?” Junior’s tone was serious now, he slowly came closer to the American, invading his personal space. For a moment, Mark felt threatened. Jackson just silently watched the two interact.

“You said yourself you’re not in the team anymore. Why does it matter to you? You could’ve asked that at the cafeteria, like a normal person.” Mark thought the whole situation was absurd.

“Answer me.” Junior insisted, as he touched a few strands of Mark’s hair. The American pushed his hand away and gave him an offended look.

“Listen, one girl tried to chat me up this morning, but I turned her down. I don’t even know her name and I really don’t care if I never ever see her again. Are you satisfied? I’d like to go back now, if you don’t mind.” Mark raised his voice. He was starting to lose his temper and he was aware that if he started throwing punches, the whole situation wouldn’t end well for him. Being called at the principal’s room was the last thing he wanted. He avoided Mr. Lim at the house as much as he could, and at school, he did his best to never bump on the man around the school’s corridors.

“Forget the girl. I believe you. Just tell me how JB is doing these days. I mean, does talk about me? Does he miss me?” the boy asked out of the blue. Mark was taken aback by the change of his tone, it was somewhat softer.

“Was he in the soccer team too?” The American could hear the Hongkonger break into a fit of laughter behind Junior.

“Why do you always answer my questions with another question?” Junior looked puzzled at him. Mark shrugged.

“I told you I’m not interested in any girl. You got your answers. Leave the Lim boy out of it.” The American stated, shooting him a defying look. Junior sighed, he looked mesmerized for a second, but quickly regained his hostile stare.

“All right, you can go back now, Markie. Jackson will escort you.”

“Fuck that, I can find my way back.” Mark spat before he turned around and walked away. His jogged through the school corridors while making a mental note to never trust an attractive student in that school again.

“Hey, Mark, wait!” Jackson suddenly grabbed his arm and turned him around with such a strength that surprised the American.

“What the hell do you want now?” Mark demanded angrily.

“Look, I wouldn’t have taken you there if I didn’t know it was safe. Believe me, he didn’t have any intention of hurting you. That kid is all-bark-and-no-bite. He’s just a bit possessive of JB.”

“What about the captain’s girlfriend? What was that about?”

“He doesn’t give a damn about cheerleaders or the soccer team. He was just getting to know you. All that talk was just a diversion. Truth to be told, he only wanted to know how well you were getting along with Jaebeom.”

“They used to fuck or something?” Mark asked bluntly and Jackson eyed him weirdly. His confused expression dissolved into a cunning one. Jackson grunted and chose not to answer his question.

“It’s a long story.”

“Why do you hang around this Junior guy anyway?”

“He gives great head. I swear his mouth is like a vacuum cleaner. He’s quite skilled.” Jackson replied with excitement in his eyes. His smile grew wide when he saw the way Mark’s cheeks reddened.

“So you two are a thing?” the American tried to sound casual and hide his embarrassment. Actually, he wasn’t sure if the other was joking or being serious.

“We do a couple of things together. We understand each other’s needs, but we’re not exclusive.” Jackson winked at him and licked his lips in a sensuous way. Mark was flabbergasted. First, because it never occurred to him that Jaebeom could be gay and second, he had never imagined that on his seventh day in a Korean school, another student would offer him sex so straightforwardly.

“Jack, you shouldn’t be late for the fencing club meeting. Soon they’ll be all looking for you.” Another voice came from behind them. The Hongkonger turned around and immediately gave the owner of the voice a warm side hug, before introducing him to Mark.

“Sweetheart, this is Kunpimook Bhuwakul, but you can call him Bambam if you’re unable to pronounce his name. Bam, meet the guy everyone has been talking about, Jaebeom’s stepbrother, Markiepoo.” Jackson patted Bambam’s back as he smirked at the American.

“It’s Mark! Mark Tuan. Nice to meet you.” A disconcerted Mark corrected the Hongkonger quickly. “May I ask where you are from?” Bambam gave him a sweet smile of acknowledgment. The American could easily tell he wasn’t Korean. The accent gave him away.

“Oh, nice to meet you too. I’m 15 and I’m from Thailand. It’s good to finally put a face to the name. I haven’t seen anyone with this kind of popularity since the JJ Project days. Feel free to call me Bambam. And excuse Jackson’s manners, he’s a total flirt, A.K.A, the school’s Don Juan.” Bambam informed Mark as they shook hands. The American felt like he could easily get along with that one.

“Guys, I’d love to stay and hang out with you two a bit more. But I have a club to run, so, see you later! Oh, and sweetheart, get my number from Bambam and call me any time! The offer still stands!” Jackson just waved at them enthusiastically and walked away from the pair.

“He runs a fencing club? Now I know how he was able to mold those thighs.” Mark bit his lower lip unconsciously, eyeing Jackson’s backside till his frame disappeared from his sight.

“Oh my God, you’re gay too! Jinyoung will flip when he hears about that.” Bambam exclaimed, trying to contain his bewilderment.

“Who’s Jinyoung?” Mark asked confused.

“JB’s little brother. Haven’t you met him yet? I must warn you, be careful with that one. He got suspended for two weeks after setting fire to the school’s library. Of course he had help from another student, but while the other was expelled, the principal’s son received a lighter punishment. Can you believe that? I think Mr. Lim must feel guilty for his son’s behavior. The divorce messed that kid pretty good. JB is the only Lim who remained unscathed after the whole thing. It seems Jinyoung promptly took his mother’s side when they found that Mr. Lim was cheating on her.” Bambam did love a gossip, but then he realized he was about to mention Mrs.Tuan Lim, so he closed his mouth before the words left his mouth.

“The principal was cheating on his wife with my mother. Is that what you were about to say?” Mark looked like he was about to get mad, but soon the pair got distracted by a bunch of students running down the hall. The commotion caught their attention and they soon followed the crowd when they heard someone say that the Lim brothers were about to have it out at the parking lot.

“I guess this is your chance of finally meeting Park Jinyoung.”

“Park?”

“He uses his mother’s maiden surname. He basically hates everything about the Lims. It’s funny, cause he’s a Lim too, so he probably hates himself.” Bambam told him as he grabbed his hand and led him to the school’s parking lot. They could already hear some heated shouting as they followed the cheers of other students.

“ _If bringing Youngjae back will make you come to your senses, I’ll go to Lim_ _Taek-geun’s office right now and tell him I was the one who did it all by myself. I’ll tell the old man that I didn’t only intend to burn his fucking library, but this entire school. Just come home, Jaebeom-ah!”_

_“I’m not going to live with the two of you. Not while you’re unable to accept our new reality. You and mother are the ones who need to come to your senses. You should clean up your act and stop causing a ruckus wherever you go.”_

Mark was speechless. As soon as he and Bambam reached the parking lot, the American realized that Junior and Jinyoung were the same person. And that loud voice yelling at JB right now was the same one Jaebeom kept listening in his car or in their bedroom nonstop. JJP, Jinyoung and Jaebeom Project. They weren’t lovers, they were brothers. That’s what JB was keeping from him.

Suddenly the shouting stopped and Jinyoung noticed Mark staring at them.

“Wow, look who’s here! It’s our American hyung! Answer me something, Tuan. Are you enjoying my bed? Is my house comfortable enough for you? How do you like Mr. Lim’s food? Papa Tuan used to cook you dinner? How about my brother? Is he good enough to replace the dead one you left in a cemetery back in L.A.?” Jinyoung asked harshly and Mark saw red.

“Fucker.” He muttered under his breath and lunged at the youngest Lim. However, before he could get his hands on him, Jackson appeared out of nowhere and put himself between the two. Mark tried to reach for Jinyoung, but the Hongkonger didn’t allow the American to touch him.

“Come on, I’ll take you home. They are not worth our time.” It was JB’s soothing voice trying to calm him down, while gently pulling him back by the shoulders.

“Did you hear what he just said?! He doesn’t get to talk about my father, or Joey like that!” a pained Mark yelled as he turned to JB, and the other just nodded at him.

“I know. Just ignore him. Let’s go home, hyung.” JB shook his head in disbelief as he glanced at his little brother and dragged a consternated Mark away from the crowd.

Mark cried during the whole drive back to the Lims’ house. His tough act was long gone when Jaebeom took him to their bedroom and laid the weeping American in his own bed. He held his stepbrother tightly and caressed his hair while whispering to the older that everything was going to be okay. JB couldn’t help but cry too. It seemed he hadn’t allowed himself to cry for quite a while and when he saw the older in that state, something just crumbled inside his chest. He didn’t cry when his parents divorced, nor when his mother left the house with Jinyoung, but he really missed them and all those postponed emotions piled up inside him. On the other hand, Mark let himself be consoled, he grieved while letting down all his barriers to accept the younger’s warmth. Both boys needed each other’s support.

At some point, JB and Mark stopped crying and they just laid there, silently trying to register what had just happened. Their faces were just a couple of inches apart, their legs were entwined, as if at that moment they depended on each other’s heat. They craved for that kind of intimate connection, since the two, somehow, felt emotionally neglected. The Korean had one hand on the American’s waist and the older had one of his hands playing with the string of his hoodie. Their bodies were warm quilts for their vulnerable souls.

“Who’s Youngjae?” The American whispered out of the blue.

“Someone very dear to me.” The younger whispered back with an especial kind of longing flickering in his eyes.

“Where is he now?” Mark asked again, not sure if the other was comfortable with the topic.

“Mokpo. It’s about five hours from Seoul.” The other answered with a heavy sigh.

“Why did he leave?” Mark kept pressing, he suddenly wanted to know everything about his stepbrother.

“Long story short, Jin did something stupid and involved Jae in the whole thing. He knew how close we were. My own brother decided to punish me just because I refused to live with him and Mom after the divorce. Youngjae didn’t want to cause problems between Jinyoung and I, nor tell my Dad who was responsible for setting fire to the school’s library, so he left. Everybody thinks he was expelled, but the truth is, he just took off the next day.”

“Can’t you get him back?” the American sounded sympathetic.

“I don’t know.” JB looked lost.

“I’m sorry my Mom caused you guys so many problems.” He was genuinely feeling sorry for him. Jaebeom couldn’t help but leave a brief kiss on his forehead. He wondered how someone older than him could look so small and adorable. Mark didn’t mind the skinship, actually, he enjoyed the contact. He felt like a strong bond was being forged between them.

“She didn’t ask Jin to set fire to the school’s library, though. It sounds more like my mother’s idea. She would do it herself just to get my father’s attention.” The younger gave him a disheartened smile.

“He was the one who cheated. She should be mad.”

“She tried to manipulate us to hate Dad. She used us against him in several occasions, and Jinnie was unable to see that. I hated when she involved us in their fights. She didn’t even stop to think how those constants disputes were affecting us. Father was disloyal and a cheater, but she was selfish and vicious.”

“She’s still your mother, though. The very first day I met you, you told me that everybody is allowed a second chance.” Mark commented, and somehow he understood Jinyoung’s wrath towards him. The American seemed to have taken everything that was once his, except for his mother.

“Look who’s talking.” A smirking JB raised an eyebrow at him and pinched his side and then his cheek. Mark gave him a tiny playful smile.

“Well, your mother is not Dorine Tuan.”

“Fine. My time to ask questions.” The Korean announced as if he waited for the other’s approval.

“Fire away.” The older nodded at him.

“How was Joey like?” JB asked carefully, and brought a hand to massage Mark’s scalp when he noticed him tense a bit.

“He was better than me.”

“Nonsense.”

“She told me she wished it was me who died that day.” Mark revealed, as sadness assaulted his beautiful features.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean it.” JB looked concerned as a tear escaped from the corner of the American’s eyes again. He didn’t wanna see Mark crying his eyes out again.

“You don’t know that.” The American shook his head, as he blinked away his tears.

“Let’s not talk about this, okay? I don’t want see you that upset anymore.” Jaebeom regretted bringing up the subject. The Korean would rather see Mark playing his bad boy role, cursing and calling him names, than looking so miserable.

“I’m a terrible person Jaebeomie.” Mark covered his face with both his hands, as if he was ashamed of himself.

“Stop saying that, Mark.” JB begged, as he removed his hands from his face and connected their foreheads.

“Sometimes I wish the same, you know? As she said, I should be the one-”

“No! Don’t be silly. It was an accident, you shouldn’t blame yourself, they wouldn’t want that for you.” Jaebeom’s voice was firm, and the way he held Mark’s wrists was full of reassurance.

“Look at me, JB. Why am I alive? What difference do I make in this world? I don’t deserve-” Mark was cut off again, but this time it wasn’t by the younger’s words. It was by his lips. The contact was brief, but it was a meaningful one. The American eyed JB intently before sitting up on the bed a bit alarmed.

"Is that okay? I didn’t mean to scare you." JB mimed his movements, but he wasn’t as startled as the older.

“What was that?” Mark asked, as he avoided the Korean’s eyes, his ears were red as a tomato.

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist. I’ve heard Americans kiss their relatives all the time, so I just went for it. All I meant was to cheer you up.” Jaebeom gave him a playful look. Mark frowned at the younger, looking a bit confused. JB made a face at him, and after a second or two, both of them were laughing like two mad kids.

"All right, next time you want to comfort me, little bro, just give me a heads up.” The American pointed a finger at him, and shook his head in disbelief, still trying to recover from their fit of laughter.

“Oh, come on! Where’s the fun in it? It’s all about spontaneity with you Westerners, right?”

"I'm not that spontaneous, though." Mark relaxed and run hand through his hair. He had just realized that JB’s actions were just an attempt to lighten up the mood.

"I've noticed." JB winked at him.

"I have someone waiting for me back in L.A." the older stated, more serious.

"I'm not surprised." Jaebeom kept grinning at him.

"Why?" he raised an eyebrow at him.

"All the cute ones are taken." Jaebeom chuckled at his own comment. Mark slightly smacked his chest. He was glad to find out that humorous side of the Korean. He couldn’t believe that it took him a week to notice that. He regretted giving him a cold shoulder every the time the younger tried to talk to him.

"Well, are you?" The American shot back.

"I'm not cute, I'm sexy." the younger replied in a comical tone.

"Maybe you're both." Mark suggested with a silly smile on his face.

"Nonsense. Do you want me to prove it to you?" Jaebeom said amusingly as he brought a finger to trace the shape of the elder’s upper lip. Mark shunned his hands away and gave him a couple of playful punches on his shoulder.

"Is it serious? I mean, this relationship of yours?" Jaebeom seemed curious.

"I guess. We are together for quite some time, but he officially asked me out three years ago."

"Do you love him?" JB asked, trying not to sound too nosy. Mark took a couple of seconds to answer that question.

"I wouldn't be with him if I didn't.”

"Lucky guy." The Korean commented, his playful tone was back. Mark grinned from ear to ear.

“Youngjae is the one who’s lucky. You should get in a bus, find your boy and remind him of that.” As soon as the sentence left the American’s mouth, Jaebeom’s expression changed. That look of longing returned to his face, and as soon as it did, Mark’s welcoming arms were immediately wrapped around him. The stepbrothers seemed to have finally found a common ground. Despite the distance, their lovers were both lucky to still have them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What was that Lim Jaebeom?? Don't ask me!>_<


	3. Bad Behavior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pool, some pics, and a fight.

“May I sit with you?” The kid asked Mark. The American looked around him. There were plenty of other empty tables in the school cafeteria, but the smiling boy had to choose his.

“I’m not alone.” Mark stated as he moved his head towards where Jaebeom was. The Korean was at the end of the line of the cafeteria to get them both their lunches. After the older told JB about how Jackson deceived him in order to lure him to Jinyoung, Jaebeom declared that it would be safer if they had lunch together every day. 

“It’s fine. I know JB, don’t worry. I’m Yugyeom, Bambam’s best friend. He told me you’re not so hostile as you look.” The boy extended his hand to him. Mark eyed the line of the cafeteria again and JB had his eyes on their table. He gave Mark an okay sign and the American realized Yugyeom was far from being a threat. Only then, then he shook hands with the kid.

“Wow. Jaebeom is overprotective as always. Jinyoung hyung used to get annoyed at him because of that.” The boy commented, as he observed the silent interaction between the two stepbrothers.

“Sorry. I’m new here and I’m not sure who are the real bad guys yet, I just had to make sure you’re not with the problematic crowd.”

“Oh, I heard what happened yesterday at the parking lot. Jinyoung hyung wasn’t always like that, you know? They used to be pretty tight, JJ Project. I mean, they are twins, so I guess it’s a kind of especial connection they will have for the rest of their lives.” Yugyeom said, as his eyes traveled from JB and then back to him. Mark blinked twice.

“They’re twins?” The American looked suddenly taken aback. He felt a nauseating feeling run through his stomach. He didn’t like the idea of being the stepbrother coming between the Lim siblings’ unbreakable bond.

“Fraternal. It’s obvious they’re non-identical, right?” Yugyeom said casually. Mark wanted the other to drop the subject or just shut up. He didn’t want to be reminded that he also had that kind of bond with Joey once, and he was the one who put an end to it.

“What do you want, Yugyeom?” Mark asked impatiently. Yugyeom frowned at him. He wondered what he had said to upset the American. Therefore, he just nodded at him and went straight to the point.

“I’m throwing a party. My parents are out of town and I’m not gonna miss the chance of taking advantage of that. I came here to invite you. JB said you wouldn’t be interested, but there’s your chance of proving him wrong.”

“Why are you inviting me?” Mark folded his arms over his chest, staring hard at the boy.

“I guess it’s time to introduce you to the nice crowd. Plus, I don’t see JB having a good time in a while. And if you say you’re coming, your bodyguard won’t dare to say no.” The boy gave him a mischievous smile and Mark couldn’t help but sense that the boy was far from being dangerous.

“Who will be at this party of yours?”

“Bambam, some old friends and half of the school.”

“How old are you again?” the American squinted his eyes at the younger.

“Same age as Bam, 15.”

“You can’t even drink and you’re hosting this kind of party?”

“What? You Americans do it all the time, right?” Yugyeom grinned at him.

“This is not America.” Mark remarked.

“And you’re not Korean either.” Yugyeom added, without losing hope. “So, are you coming?”

“Definitely.” Mark finally broke into a smile and Yugyeom performed a little dance of victory in front of him. Mark laughed at the kid’s antics.

“You’re not gonna regret it.” The boy chanted.

“I beg to disagree.” Jaebeom’s presence brought a little of sobriety to the table. He had the Thai boy Mark met yesterday by his side. The American greeted him with a smile.

“Oh, come on. Everybody thinks I’m an antisocial foreigner already. I should start mingling.” Mark eyed his stepbrother faking a pitiful expression on his face. Bambam knew Jaebeom wouldn’t be able to resist the other’s ageyo. The Korean always had a weak spot for the cute ones. That’s why he had immediately fallen for Youngjae’s adorable face expressions when they first met.

“Bambam here is helping Gyeom organize this pool party. There will be lots of alcohol, recreational drugs, and naked bodies everywhere moving to the sound of a loud K-pop soundtrack.” JB stated as he put the two trays of food he was carrying on the table and took a sit beside his stepbrother. Bambam quickly sat beside Yugyeom and followed the conversation. He could already foresee the end of it.

“Sounds like my kind of party.” The older winked at him. JB rolled his eyes at him.

“Jaebeom hyung, we both know you’re not letting him go by himself, right?” Bambam chimed in with a knowing look on his face.

“Did you invite them?” Jaebeom’s tone was critical.

“If you’re talking about Jackson and Junior, yes I did.” Yugyeom confessed not even a bit regretful.

“We’re not coming, Mark.” JB stated firmly. Bambam sighed in frustration.

“I wonder when you guys will keep avoiding each other. You’re living in different houses with different parents, so what? You are still the JJP brothers and that’s never gonna change. Wake up, man! The six of us used be a clique! We would hang out together all the time and nothing was able to ruin the kind of chemistry we used to have. I think it’s about time you two stop being childish and allow us to become Got6 again. Your parents divorced, not you two.” Bambam gave JB an annoyed look. Yugyeom cleared his throat but didn’t say anything. Mark just watched the whole scene with interest. He would never believe that Jaebeom would let a younger student talk to him like that. With the little time he had spent around the Korean, he noticed that his stepbrother was obsessed with the system of honorifics and the age hierarchy thing that seemed to reign over every social circle in that country.

“Got6? Aren’t you forgetting somebody? Do you even see Youngjae around the school? Stop deluding yourself. Those times are long gone, Bam.” He retorted as he started running a hand through his hair repeatedly. Mark wondered how much of that story he didn’t know yet.

“Mark, give me your number. I’ll contact you later and text you Yug’s address.” Bambam ignored the other’s outburst and when the American just handed him his phone, JB grunted irritably.

“Jaebeom hyung, it’s not like Youngjae hyung is in another country or something, you can still convince him to come back. You just gotta give him a call, I’m sure he-” Yugyeom started but he was cut off.

“Look who’s here! My favorite gang! You guys even added a new member!” Jackson’s excited tone filled their ears. “You could’ve informed me of this little reunion. I kinda feel left out.” He said with a smile plastered on his lips, as he leaned on their table and rested his chin on both his hands. Mark noticed everyone tense a bit. Actually, he didn’t like the interruption either. He wanted to learn more about the JB’s relationship with this Youngjae he never met. He seemed so present, yet so absent, that made Mark intrigued.

“Leave.” Jaebeom’s tone was cold as ice, he didn’t even look at the Hongkonger. Jackson’s smile quickly faded.

“I came to apologize in Jinyoung’s behalf. He was not in his right mind yesterday and he knows he crossed a line there.” Jackson seemed to be walking on eggshells as he tried to explain his comrade’s attitude. That was a new side of him that Mark hadn’t seen yet. The few times he crossed paths with Jackson, he seemed overconfident, bold and even a bit cocky. Suddenly, none of those adjectives matched his character.

“Just tell him that if he wants Mark to accept his apologies he’s gotta come here by himself and show our brother how sorry he really is.” JB said as he stood up and grabbed his stepbrother’s arm. The American was startled. It was the second time JB called him brother in front of other people. The first one was at the parking lot when Jinyoung assaulted him with words. And for some reason, the way JB uttered them now, sounded more real. He could feel a warm feeling washing over him. He missed having a little brother.

Jackson was about to say something else, but the Korean just pulled Mark from his seat and dragged him away from the table. Bambam, Yugyeom and Jackson shared concerned looks after witnessing the way JB entwined his and Mark’s fingers together as they left the cafeteria.

Bambam texted Mark Yugyeom’s address as he promised. At 7 P.M Mark sneaked out of the Lims’ house through the window of the bedroom he shared with JB. He wasn’t sure why he was going to the party without telling Jaebeom, after all, Mark was older, and he didn’t need to fear his stepbrother reaction, nor he needed his permission to go out. However, he still left quietly, while Mr. Lim, JB and Dorine were having dinner downstairs. Since the American arrived at the Lims’s residence, he never sat at the table with his new family. He always waited for them to finish eating till he could grab some food in the kitchen. JB begged him several times to enjoy dinner with them, but Mark always told him that it was better for all of them if he stayed away from ‘family gatherings’. The American avoided his mother most of the time and his interaction with his stepfather was almost none. Whenever he happened to bump on JB’s father he was always, politely cold, and distant. Dorine believed that his ‘difficult’ behavior was just a phase.

When he arrived at the party, he soon realized that it was exactly how JB said it would be. However, the pair YugBam enjoying some karaoke time together was certainly an amusing sight he wasn’t expecting to see. It was hilarious how they drunkenly hugged each other and danced on a table while a bunch of other kids cheered on them. Mark couldn’t help but smile at the scene.

He didn’t mingle, he didn’t know how to. A couple of girls waved at him now and then, he could feel some bodies throw themselves at him on purpose, but he couldn’t really stand the crowd. It was a pool party, but most of the kids were playing billiards and some stupid drinking games. Mark had no interest in them, he simply felt nostalgic all of sudden. He missed his boyfriend, his classmates and his language. He went to the pool area and sat by its edge. He was so absentminded that he didn’t noticed someone diving into the water.

“Good evening." A person he wasn’t expecting to see suddenly came out of the pool and greeted him. Mark was about to stand up and leave the edge of the pool, when the unwanted person pulled his leg, making his body slip into the pool.

“What the hell!?” Mark exclaimed in English as he fell into the water and gave the other a death glare.

“Chill out. I’m not gonna drown you or something, even though the idea sounds quite tempting.” Jinyoung spoke in a cynical tone as he splashed some water at the other’s face.

“You wouldn’t be able to do it even if you wanted to.” Mark bellowed, giving him a challenging look.

“Don’t be so serious. I’m here to make peace with you. I was told that Jaebeom wants me to personally apologize to you. That’s why I am here.” Jinyoung wasn’t smirking or using his usual mocking tone. Mark eyed him attentively. He remembered how Jinyoung sounded desperate to get JB’s attention at the school’s parking lot. Deep down, he knew that, just like himself, Jinyoung missed having a brother too.

“Apologies accepted.” Mark told him shortly, as he turned away and swam in direction of the pool ladder. As soon as he was out of the water, Jinyoung followed and turned him around to face him.

“That’s it? I’m so easily forgiven? I mean, I was kind of an asshole at that parking lot and I’m pretty sure you wanted to at least deck me once or twice.” Jinyoung looked straight into his eyes. Mark was struggling to hold his gaze. The Korean only had some loose square-cut shorts hugging his waist and his bare chest was fully exposed in all its glory. The American gasped when he allowed his eyes to briefly wander down to the boy’s perfectly shaped abs.

“I’m gonna go inside. I need a drink.” Mark took a deep breath and bit his lower lip a bit embarrassed. He wasn’t sure if the younger noticed his uneasiness.

“Have some of mine.” Jinyoung offered, as he walked to a table next to the pool and handed Mark a glass of a liquid, which looked like wine. The American didn’t think twice and downed it.

“Thanks.” Mark whispered to him, but he didn’t know what to say next. Jinyoung just smiled at him, as if he waited for something to happen.

“I thought an American boy like yourself would be smarter than that. I mean, you must’ve heard of ketamine and rohypnol being secretly slipped into people’s drinks.” Jinyoung said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I-What?!” Mark’s voice was weak and he suddenly felt his vision begin to fog.

“Let’s go somewhere more private.” Jinyoung announced as he slipped his arms around the half-sedated American and entered the house through the back door. Jackson was waiting for there and he helped bringing Mark to one of the empty rooms of the house. They knew the place well, and whoever saw them carrying a drugged Mark upstairs didn’t ask questions, since most of the youths in there were heavily drunk.

“If we’re gonna do this, we gotta be fast.” The Hongkonger said nervously as he took his cellphone out of his pocket.

“Help me take his clothes off, then.” Jinyoung protested, as he finally managed to remove Mark’s shirt. For a moment, his eyes fixated on the older boy’s tattoos. The American had an English word adorning the underside of his right arm and two stretches of Roman numbers along his side. Jinyoung wondered what the meaning behind the ink was.

“Jin, I don’t like this.” Jackson declared, a bit uncertain.

“We’re not going to actually do anything to him. The idea is to use his nudes to make him cooperate.” Jinyoung’s unsure hands rested on the waistband of Mark pants. Jackson noticed how the younger sounded reticent.

“You do know this is fucked up, right?” The Hongkonger spat, shaking his head in disapproval.

“You agreed to help me. Are you having second thoughts now? Really?” the Korean gave him a dirty look.

“Do you really think this guy is going to convince JB to leave your Dad’s house? You weren’t able to do it, your mom had no success either! How a fucking stranger will be able to accomplish that?!” Jackson threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.

“JB called him hyung in that parking lot. You yourself told me he did it again at the cafeteria and held his fucking hand!” Jinyoung yelled at him and his determination seemed to return. He resumed his job as he roughly removed Mark’s pants and boxers at once and spread both his legs apart. Jackson covered his mouth and turned away from the scene. If he didn’t know what Jinyoung was going through, he wouldn’t have agreed with his plan. However, every fiber of his body screamed at him to save Mark from such humiliation and get him out of that room before the Korean got what he wanted.

“Jinyoung.” Jackson inhaled.

“He has more tattoos. I wonder how long he has them. He’s incredibly beautiful.” The younger commented as he kept taking pictures with his own cellphone. The Hongkonger grimaced every time he heard the noise of a camera flash. He needed to stop that, yet he didn’t.

“Stop.” Jackson whispered weakly, but the other’s response just came a couple of minutes later.

“It’s done. Let’s go.” Jinyoung announced as he touched Jackson’s shoulder, but the other pushed his hands away.

“Delete these photos.” Jackson demanded as he faced the Korean. “If there’s still a lingering vestige of the Jinyoung I used to know inside of you, you’re not going to go ahead with this.”

“You can stay if you want to. It’s your call.” Jinyoung stated and walked out of the room. Jackson sighed and eyed Mark’s wet clothes on the floor. He quickly opened one of the drawers of a closet and started dressing the American. He knew it was Yugyeom’s father clothes, but he didn’t care. He wouldn’t leave the older exposed like that. As soon as the other was fully clothed, Jackson eyed him with concern, kissed one of his cheeks and exited the room.

As he was about to leave the house, he noticed a frantic Jaebeom talking to Bambam and Yugyeom. He wanted to go to them, but he knew it wasn’t a good idea. Therefore, he just turned around and walked away.

The next morning Mark woke up in his own bed. The first thing he noticed was the weird clothes he was wearing. Then he saw a sleeping JB sitting on the floor next to him. His head rested on the end of the bed.

“Jaebeomie?” Mark whispered as he touched his stepbrother’s head. The Korean immediately opened his eyes, concern etched on his face. Mark stared back at him in confusion.

“Why did you go there? I told you not to.” He ran a hand through his hair nervously and continued. “I had to carry you up here without making a sound! We’re lucky our parents didn’t wake up.” His look was a mixture of fright and worry.

“I was just-”

“Whose clothes are these?” he demanded urgently.

“Geez, I don’t know.” Mark answered him honestly, as he scratched his head. He could barely remember what happened the night before.

“Did you fuck anyone in that party? Did you take anything?” JB sounded mad now.

“I don’t think so. I mean, if I had sex with anyone I would know. I mean, my body would indicate that, right?” Mark didn’t make much sense. JB squinted his eyes at him.

“I found you in Yugyeom parents’ bedroom and your wet clothes were on the floor. But you were fully dressed in somebody else’s clothes under the covers and totally passed out.” The Korean took a deep breath, but instead of panicking, Mark just waved at him and dismissed the upset look the other was giving him.

“Maybe I fell into the pool. Perhaps I was too drunk to notice when someone kindly changed my clothes and put me to bed. Don’t be so grumpy, you should be proud! I survived my first Korean party.” Mark smiled at him and ruffled the younger’s hair.

“Hyung, you should be more careful! What if you didn’t wake up? What would I say to Dorine if she found out that I let her only son have an overdose in some random party I refused to go with him?” JB was beside himself as he stood up and paced around the room.

“It wouldn’t be the first time she loses a son. In fact, I don’t think she would even mind this time around.” Mark replied carelessly as he sat up on the bed. He didn’t even realize how distressed his stepbrother actually was before the latter made him stand up abruptly.

“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” JB held him by the shoulders and shook him violently. “Don’t say that, damn it! She would mind! My father would, and I’d certainly have a hard time living with it.” The Korean’s penetrating eyes bored into his.

“Okay. I’m sorry, man. Relax! I am all right. It won’t happen again, I promise you.” Mark was fully awake now and extremely intimidated by the younger’s behavior.

“I’m heading out to school now. Today you’re taking the bus. Have a good fucking morning, brother.” JB announced as he grabbed his backpack and car keys and walked out of the room.

Mark felt like shit. He didn’t mean to anger Jaebeom so much. It wasn’t the first time he passed out in the middle of a party. His boyfriend was a party monster and thanks to him, he managed to leave every single one of his parties unscathed. Nevertheless, that was back in LA, and Mark somehow, understood his stepbrother’s concern.

His phone started vibrating on his nightstand, and when he picked it up, he weirdly glanced at the amount of missed calls and messages he received from an unknown number. He was about to listen to those messages when he heard steps right outside his door. It was 8 A.M., and he knew that neither his mom nor JB’s father were still home.

“Jaebeom-ah?” Mark called out, wondering if his stepbrother had returned to the house to retrieve something he had forgotten. However, when he was about to walk to the door, Jinyoung appeared out of nowhere and got inside the room. The American made a startled sound, took a couple of steps back and stared at the other in shock.

“I know everybody left and you’re all by yourself here. I was watching the house for a while. We need to talk.” Jinyoung declared, as he ignored the other’s appalled expression, and took a sit on JB’s bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to heat up a bit...Just a bit!:P


	4. Never Ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Manipulation, Acting, Argument and a steamy shower...

“What are you doing here?” Mark managed to ask, trying to conceal his bafflement.

“What? It’s my house, I still have my keys. I should be the one asking you that.” He shrugged.

“Fine.” Mark definitely despised the kid, but he had to admit that the younger had a point. He didn’t feel like home in there and he only hoped that nightmare didn’t take long to end. In six months, he would be eighteen, and then he would be free. The teenager wanted to be out of that place as much as Jinyoung wanted him out of the Lims’ lives.

The American decided to ignore his stepbrother’s presence, so he turned away, opened his wardrobe and started looking for some decent clothes to wear. He wondered if the other would just go away if he started undressing in front of him, and although he was not too comfortable with the idea, he decided to give it a shot.

“I didn’t know you guys were sharing a room, I thought you were sleeping in my bedroom.” The Korean commented as he eyed the single bed across from JB’s. His voice sounded distant, his look was far away, his mind traveled through the joyful memories he had in that room with his twin brother. Jinyoung had his own room in that house, of course, but whenever JB and him wanted to watch some DVDs or they’d found the perfect Netflix series to binge, they would be there. Whenever they wanted to listen to their favorite albums, play games, or compose songs together, that bedroom would often become their studio or game room. He didn’t even realize when Mark took off his sweater, until the other started speaking again.

“Don’t worry, even though you might not believe me, I don’t have any intention of taking what’s not mine.” Mark said, as he resumed undressing. Only then, the Korean’s eyes focused on the naked body a few meters from him. The tattoos on his skin reminded Jinyoung of something he wished to forget. He remembered tracing those letters, drawings and numbers with his fingers. He couldn’t erase form his mind the way the elder’s smooth skin glowed under his touch. He felt tempted to feel it again, and more, he yearned to kiss every single inch of that body if he ever got the chance to get that close to the boy again.

“I came to talk about last night.” The younger declared, trying to push those thoughts away, as he held his sinful phone on his hand. _Jackson’s words haunted him. ‘If there’s still a lingering vestige of the Jinyoung I used to know inside of you, you’re not going to go ahead with this’._ The Hongkonger was the only one in Got6 who stood by him after his parents’ divorce. He didn’t want to undo their alliance because of some stupid nudes. Actually, after taking them, he didn’t feel like sharing those images with anyone else, he didn’t’ even want Mark to know that he had them. He hadn’t anticipated that kind of regret.

“What about it?” Mark still didn’t seem to care. He was a bit embarrassed, even though ha had turned away from his stepbrother. He could feel the other’s eyes on him, but he was convinced Jinyoung simply considered him a repugnant being, and there was no way the other would get any sort of satisfaction from witnessing his nudity. After getting rid of the clothes that weren’t his and quickly dressing into something more comfortable, Mark started packing his books. He knew he would be late for school. However, he also knew that if he didn’t show up there at all, he would be giving Dorine a reason to pester him around, and all he wanted was to be invisible before her eyes. At least that’s what he thought he wanted, it was easier that way.

“Don’t you remember anything?” the Korean needed to know if Jackson had ratted him out.

“Were you there? The other kids said you would be. No big deal.” Mark sat on his bed and folded his arms around his chest. He decide to hear what the Korean had to say.

“Don’t you remember what happened in the pool or in Yugyeom parents’ bedroom?” Jinyoung insisted, but it was clear that the older was totally unaware of what the facts which unfolded the night before. The younger wasn’t surprised. The amount of drug he gave the American made him blackout too quickly.

“Were you the one who changed my clothes when I passed out?” Mark’s heart skipped a beat. The idea sounded ludicrous, but he asked anyway. Knowing that the younger could’ve possibly seen him in such a vulnerable state made his skin crawl.

“No.” he answered shortly as he put his cellphone back in his pocket. Jinyoung couldn’t understand his own actions. For a moment, he didn’t know how to proceed with his strategy.

“Did you see who did it?” Mark was sure that the other was concealing some facts from him on purpose. The American hated to know that Jinyoung was sober last night and he wasn’t.

“I have to go.” A perturbed Jinyoung stated as he got up and went to the door.

“Hey, you can’t leave like this! Don’t be an asshole. Tell me what happened!” Mark stood in front of the door as he glared to the younger. The oddly way the other was behaving bothered him.

“Okay. We fell in the pool, I apologized for what I said to you at school, and you even accepted my apologies. Then I gave you something to drink and then we went to one of the empty rooms of the house.” Jinyoung’s acting skills always aided him in the worst situations. He knew Jackson would be mad if he used those inappropriate pictures to blackmail Mark, but he still could fool the American into believing that they slept together at the party.

“And then what?” the older dared him to say it. Mark squinted his eyes at him.

“Mark, I’m sorry. We were both out of it and I guess things got a bit heated between us.” Jinyoung gave him a feigned troubled look and the American felt like vomiting, his eyes widened with shock. The younger had finally found a way to manipulate the other, and he would do his best to keep the elder in the dark about the real events of the past night.

“We didn’t have sex. I have a boyfriend. You have Jackson. Nothing happened, I would never touch you.” Mark stated, trying to convince himself of those words. He refused to accept that Jaebeom was right. Going to that party was indeed a bad idea.

“We can pretend it never happened if you want to. We’re stepbrothers. Our parents would kill us if they found out. What would JB say-”

“Wait!” Mark’s expression suddenly changed, as he stared back at the Korean.

“We should keep it a secret, right?” Jinyoung said innocently. His performance was brilliant and he knew that. He was about to tell Mark that he would only keep their dirty little secret to himself if the American managed to make JB leave the house.

“No way! We’re gonna tell everyone. That’s all I needed! I mean, as soon as Dorine finds out you and I are fucking, she’ll send me back home! Your Dad will flip, and we might ruin their fucking marriage! You can take back all that’s yours and you’ll never, ever, see me again.” Mark’s smile was intoxicating. Jinyoung had never seen him looking so bright. Those lips, those eyes, those unbelievably cute cheeks enraptured him. Whenever he stalked his brother JB at school, and he saw him with Mark, the Korean was never able to glimpse such a genuine joy plastered on his face.

“Mark, JB might not forgive me this time.” Jinyoung tried to focus on his mission one more time. He was supposed to love the idea of sending Dorine and her son back to America, but he knew that such an event could cause him more problems than he already had with his brother. Maybe his own mother would never accept his father back, maybe they’d start fighting again, and his relationship with Jaebeom would suffer another excruciating blow. Jinyoung had never guessed that Mark was so willing to get out of South Korea, till that very moment. There was so little he actually knew about him, that, somehow, it bothered the younger. He thought the American was really desperate to suggest something like that.

“Don’t you see, Jinnie? Once your parents get back together, JB will thank you for what you’ve done for the family. Imagine that! The Lims, all back together in the same house! It’s the dream of every kid with divorced parents. You know I’m right! This thing will benefit both of us.”

“Let me think about it, okay?!” Jinyoung said, trying to gather his thoughts. Did his stepbrother just call him Jinnie, or he was hearing things? Why the nickname sounded so soft coming out of his kissable mouth? Why was the foreigner sounding like the biggest manipulator in that story? His beauty enthralled the Korean, his words made sense, but they were too dangerous.

“You can’t say no to this.” Mark added with urgency in his voice, his cinnamon eyes shone with anticipation. His stepbrother silently struggled to turn the tables. Jinyoung had to take his power back, he should be the one telling the American what to do. He had to make the older doubt himself.

“You should think about it too, right? You said yourself you have a boyfriend. That must affect your relationship somehow. When he asks you how you managed to get back home so soon, what will you tell him? You’ll tell him you hooked up with some Korean kid, or you intend to keep this from him? I mean, you cheated on the guy. What happens when you go back to the U.S as a cheating boyfriend?” Jinyoung commented, and a part of him felt good when he saw the excitement leaving the American’s eyes and being replaced by disappointment. As soon as those doubts were planted on his stepbrother’s head, he knew Mark wouldn’t be so eager to go ahead with that plan.

“We were drunk, right? Perhaps we didn’t do it, man. Think about it, maybe we took each other’s clothes off and we passed out while we were at it, too drunk to even get it up. I mean, I don’t feel anything, do you?” Mark wasn’t the cheating kind and he knew he wouldn’t go that far with anyone but his own boyfriend. Even if he had too much alcohol in his system, he would never break a promise. He was saving himself for his boyfriend back in America and their first time was scheduled to happen as soon as he returned to Los Angeles.

“Well, you weren’t the one bottoming. You might be playing dumb, but I remember everything, Mark.” Jinyoung faked hurt and the other couldn’t help but look away.

“I’m sorry.” Mark’s voice was barely a whisper. His eyes watered. That apology wasn’t directed at the boy in front of him. It was for someone far away. Even though he didn’t remember how things developed the night before, even though he blamed the alcohol, he knew his boyfriend wouldn’t forgive that kind of betrayal. His infidelity could send him back to America, but it would make him lose someone dear to him all over again.

“Listen, we obviously have something in common here. We both miss our homes, and I have the impression that we can make a great team. We can work together to get ourselves out of this misery. Fate brought us together last night, that wasn’t a random coincidence. This might be the beginning of a wonderful thing. However, if you say we fucked at Gyeom’s party, they’ll make me the bad guy. You see, I don’t have a very good reputation, and they might even say that I got you drunk just to take advantage of you.” Jinyoung took a deep breath and concluded his thought. “Things with my father might get out of hand, JB might crucify me... Just think about it, you mother might claim you did it on purpose. Look, we have all the time in the world to make our dreams come true. We just gotta unite forces, build the best strategy and make it happen.” Jinyoung was completely immersed into his role.

“Okay.” Mark whispered dejectedly, unable to see beyond Jinyoung’s persuasive speech.

“All right. I’ll contact you later. See you around, Markie.” Jinyoung said before he left the room. The American didn’t notice the malicious smile playing on his lips as he walked down the stairs or when he victoriously closed the front door after him. The Korean wasn’t able to go through with his initial plan, but he was glad to be the winner in that battle of manipulation. He could tell that soon he’d have a great opportunity to use Mark’s determination to achieve his goal.

Dorine was obviously keeping tabs on her son’s movements. She knew JB carried a passed out Mark to their room last night. She noticed that her son didn’t attend school the next morning, but she wouldn’t confront the teenager just yet. She was aware that JB and Mark had gotten closer and she was certain that she could count on the young Lim to look after him. At least that was what Jaebeom assured her when he was called to the counselor’s room, and Dorine questioned him about Mark’s absence. Every day JB was supposed to drive Mark to school, since the American refused to ride with her or her husband. Neither Dorine nor Taek-geun asked him to do that. JB himself offered to take that responsibility, and his father and stepmother were thankful for that. Therefore, that morning, when he appeared at Kirin High alone, he fed her a white lie, claiming that Mark was just hangover. He admitted that they were at a party and had some drinks, but that was all that happened, according to him. Dorine didn’t doubt his words. Back in America, drinking on a school night was basically a routine for Mark and his boyfriend Eric, especially after Raymond and Joey’s death. During that time, she was unable to control her son’s erratic behavior and at some point, she felt like giving up on him. The pain of their double loss drove her to seek solace in sleeping pills. Both mother and son, somehow, found their coping mechanism.

JB arrived home earlier. He wasn’t able to concentrate during class. He had interrogated half of the school in order to find out what happened to Mark at that party. Eventually his eyes met Jackson’s while he talked to some random student at the soccer field, and he could tell that something was off about the foreigner. Jaebeom knew the Hongkonger well, and as soon as he avoided his gaze, the older knew that he was definitely hiding something from him.

When the Korean roughly pressed his back against the wall of the locker room, Jackson didn’t have a choice but to provide him some answers. He told JB that he was the one who dressed Mark in Yugyeom dad’s clothes, but he wasn’t the one who undressed him.

“I was roaming around the house when I found him in that bedroom, soaked and naked. I just thought that putting some clothes on him was a decent thing to do.” Jackson nervously told him, knowing that a single mention of Jinyoung’s name at that moment would drive JB even crazier, and he would be responsible for starting the III world war in Seoul.

“Why didn’t you bring him home? What the fuck, man! You still remember my freakin’ address, right? You used to hang around my house all the time! What’s wrong with you?! Taking him home, to make sure he was safe would be the decent thing to do, Wang! I can barely look at you right now. You disgust me.” Jaebeom accused him mercilessly, and Jackson had difficulty to digest his words. It pained him to hear that from the kid who he once considered a great friend.

“Look, man! He’s not some child, okay? He’s old enough to look after himself. Mark is older than us, and he doesn’t require a babysitter! He’s not your baby brother, okay?!” Jackson shot back as he pushed JB away from him. The way Jackson uttered his last sentence puzzled the Korean.

“Does Jinyoung have anything to do with it?” JB went straight to the point. The Hongkonger shook his head in frustration.

“I’m not his babysitter either. Ask him.” Jackson remarked, and exited the locker room.

Jaebeom wasn’t surprised to find out that his brother was also absent that day. His gut kept telling him to go home and find Mark. Then, as soon as the third period was over, he decided to skip all his other classes.

As soon as he entered the house, he ran upstairs to find his stepbrother. He could hear some sniffling coming from the bathroom and when he opened its door, the scene he witnessed almost broke his heart. Mark was there, sitting on the floor, hugging his knees and crying. He immediately kneeled in front of his stepbrother and held the young man to him.

“Hey, kid, I’m here. Stop crying. I didn’t mean to be so hard on you earlier. I was just worried about you, please don’t cry.” JB hushed him as he kissed his hair and engulfed the American in his embrace.

“He broke up with me.” Mark whispered almost inaudible against JB’s broad chest.

“What?” JB gently disentangled himself from him and met his eyes.

“I skyped Eric one hour ago and he said we’re over.” Mark sobbed, as he covered his face with his hands.

“Is he the boyfriend who was waiting for you in America?” JB felt bad for Mark, but he was also, somewhat relieved to hear the news. If the Eric guy was who motivated the elder to return to the U.S., there was a chance that now, his stepbrother would stay in Korea for good. JB had just realized that he wanted him there and nowhere else. He didn’t need to ask himself why, he just liked Mark, a lot.

“I told him about the party, so he called me a bunch of names and refused to accept my apology.” Mark told him, wiping away his tears. He was hurting a lot, but having Jaebeom there to support him made him feel lighter.

“Why did you even tell him about it? It’s not like you remember what happened last night, right?” Jaebeom eyed him with sympathy. The American felt safe by his side and he knew he could trust the Korean his secret. He was also aware that he should let Jinyoung’s name out of that story, since he didn’t want to cause trouble between the Lim brothers. Moreover, Mark had already lost too much, and he couldn’t bear to lose the younger’s amity because of a bad choice he made. After all, going to that party was his own idea.

“I tried to explain to him that whatever happened wasn’t intentional, but I also told him that I might’ve cheated on him.” The elder took a deep breath before he met JB’s eyes. There was no judgment in them, his look was kind and understanding.

“Why would you even say something foolish like that? That was quite silly of you. It seems to me you’ve just sabotaged your own relationship.” The Korean shook his head and took his hand in his.

“I already regret telling him the truth. But it wouldn’t feel right to keep that from him, you know? I mean, I’m not like that. I go to parties, but I don’t really like them. I just got used to the distraction. It was like a routine for me and Eric back in L.A.. But I don’t sleep around, I’ve always been faithful. I never truly meant to hurt him this way. Eric was the only person alive who still loved me, and now I have no one. I keep messing up and kicking people out of my life, I don’t know why! They’re all gone! Nobody will ever love me again, Jaebeomie.” Mark looked down and took a deep breath, trying to swallow his sobs. Within a second he could feel JB’s fingers softly lift up his chin and wipe a tear that streamed down his cheek. When another tear was about to drop, the younger leaned onto him and swiftly captured it with his lips. The American didn’t move. He liked to have JB close to him. The sudden break up made him feel lonely and unwanted and Mark didn’t want to feel like that any longer. So he didn’t stop the younger when he kissed his cheek and licked him all way down his neck. He felt a shiver run down his spine when the Korean’s tongue started playing with his earlobe.

“You don’t really believe that, do you? Where am I now, huh? I’m here, Mark. Can’t you see me? You’re not alone, you don’t have to be. I’m in your life now, and I plan to stay. You won’t be able to get rid of me that easy. I’ll be immortal for you, I’ll always be where you want me to be.” He whispered tenderly, before nuzzling his long milky neck. Mark moaned when he felt Jaebeom’s teeth gently grasp his skin.

“Jaebeom-ah.” He protested weakly, suddenly feeling too hot, too close to the flame. The sensation of the younger’s breath against his shoulder was making his heartbeats accelerate. His boxers were suddenly becoming too tight around him. Jaebeom suddenly let go of him and stood up abruptly. Mark looked up at the Korean, already missing his heat.

“I’m gonna give you a shower. You hair smells like bleach. Let’s get this pool chlorine off your skin.” JB’s eyes seemed to penetrate his soul. He extended a hand to his stepbrother in order to help him up. However, Mark was too embarrassed to let the other know he was sustaining a painful erection underneath his pants. So he didn’t get up from the floor, he just bit his lower lip and nodded at the younger.

“I haven’t showered since last night. You can go now. I can manage by myself.” He said shyly as his cheeks and ears turned crimson red. JB beamed at the sight, Mark looked like a scared bunny.

“Come on, little bunny. Let me take care of you.” The other insisted, making the other even more embarrassed. Mark never thought he could sound sexier than usual and the nickname was adorable.

“I said I can do it.” Mark muttered, hugging his legs even closer to his body. However, when Jaebeom crouched in front of him and slowly lifted him up by the shoulders, he didn’t push him away.

“Bunny, I love yo-ur hair. I can’t let these chemicals wreak havoc on it. You’re in good hands. I promise to be gentle.” The Korean took his hand and slowly led him to the shower stall. Mark held his breath when JB removed his own shirt and pulled his boxers and pants down at once. Mark quickly turned away from him, in order to give the younger some privacy and also hide his hard on from him.

“Don’t you think it’s weird showering with your stepbrother? Not even spontaneous American people do this kind of thing, okay?” Mark informed him, trying not to stammer.

“Do you know what is weird? Showering with your clothes on.” JB announced wickedly, as he suddenly turned on the shower knob and let the cold water flow, soaking a fully clothed American and himself. A whining Mark immediately turned around startled, and as soon as he was face to face with the younger, the latter gripped the nape of his neck and pulled their bodies together. Mark couldn’t help but moan when he felt JB’s lips devour his. He sucked his tongue wantonly, pressing his hard on against him. Mark didn’t have to look down to notice that Jaebeom was also hard as a rock. The Korean’s strong arms sneaked behind Mark’s back and in a swift movement lifted up his wet shirt. The younger sucked on his nipples while Mark watched his body coming undone by his touches. He gasped when JB pulled his pants and boxers down, kneeled before him, and put his dick inside his mouth. JB started blowing him with urgency, trying to desperately taste more of the elder. Mark leaned on the wall, trying to keep himself from falling as pleasure invaded his body.

Everything was happening too fast, but the American didn’t want to think about it. He was single now and he shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Fuck Eric! They were supposed to be doing that together, but he was too headstrong to listen to his explanation and forgive him. Mark was going to enjoy every single second of what was happening. Eric’s loss would be someone else’s gain. JB’s gain.

Mark wasn’t thinking straight when he gripped the younger’s hair, trying to control the pace of his own upcoming orgasm, but JB’s mouth was relentless and he couldn’t help but ejaculate inside his mouth.

“I’m sorry, I was going to warn you.” Mark tried to apologize almost breathless, but when he saw the proud way Jaebeom swallowed his come and licked his lips seductively, the American turned silent.

“My turn.” JB said as he spread Mark’s legs wider, spat on his hand and sneaked one of his fingers between his buttocks. The American immediately tensed as he felt a finger push against his butthole. He tried to convince himself that he wasn’t a chick, and that losing his virginity shouldn’t be such a big deal, and that he should just get it done since he was a man, but he couldn’t contain the trepidation inside him. Then he thought of Eric again, he thought about asking for his forgiveness a second time and the possibility of Eric taking him back. His courage faltered.

“Someone might catch us here.” The elder said weakly. Suddenly he couldn’t help but worry about his first time and how painful and embarrassing it could be. He didn’t want it to happen like that. Perhaps Eric could change his mind later, and take him back at some point. He wasn’t sure if JB should be his first. The Korean had a great body, he was very nice, but there was something missing there. Having sex with JB could ruin their blooming friendship and Mark wouldn’t allow that to happen. Lots of doubts popped up in his mind. He wasn’t sure about his feelings anymore. He missed Eric, but last night he had supposedly banged his other stepbrother. He should not forget about that, he couldn’t. Jinyoung would probably call him a whore if he saw him like that with JB’s finger up his ass. Mark was confused and he felt dirty.

“Let them.” JB said boldly, but he could notice the other’s nervousness.

“I’m not sure about this. Maybe we should stop.” Mark suggested and JB frowned at him.

“Bunny, you’re so tense. Just relax.” Jaebeom told him in a soothing voice as he kissed both his thighs and pushed the finger deeper inside the American.

“Don’t, please. I can’t.” Mark said hurriedly and pulled JB’s finger out of him.

“Jesus, are you okay? Did I hurt you or something?” The Korean was obviously worried when he studied the panicked expression on his face.

“I’ve never done this before.” Mark said at once while looking away. JB chuckled, he assumed the older was simply joking.

“Are you gonna tell me you’re a virgin bunny then?” a naked Jaebeom got up from the floor and gave him a knowing smile. But Mark didn’t smile back. He pulled up his soaked boxers and pants and folded his arms around himself timidly.

“Yeah.” As soon as the confirmation left his mouth, JB’s smile faded. He turned off the shower knob and stared at Mark.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” he sounded annoyed. Mark wanted to clarify to him that he had never been penetrated by a guy, but according to Jinyoung, he had penetrated one, since he topped last night. So technically, he was not 100% innocent nor he was purely unexperienced. However, the American knew that bringing up that subject would make the other even more infuriated.

“Before what?!” the older eyed him with guilt.

“Before I put my hands on you, damn it!” JB shouted this time. Mark wanted to yell at him too, but he didn’t have that kind of energy in him at that moment.

“You didn’t ask.” He said in a small voice.

“You’re a 17 year old American, you had a boyfriend! I assumed you were experienced. Are you saying that Eric never even fingered you before?” he looked at him in disbelief.

“And I didn’t finger nor fuck him either. We just fooled around. He said he was gonna wait till I was ready. He was patient with me, he didn’t wanna pressure me into doing anything I didn’t want to.” Mark confessed as he ran a shaking hand through his wet hair.

“I can’t believe this!” JB sounded genuinely mad when he exited the shower stall.

“You don’t have to be so angry. I can suck you off if you want me to.” Mark offered carelessly as he followed the other to their bedroom.

“For fuck’s sake Mark! I’m not that desperate.” JB scowled at him, while drying himself up with a towel. His hard on was long gone. Mark remained dressed in his soaked clothes.

“Look, it’s not like I wanted to hide it from you. It’s kinda embarrassing to get the right words out of your mouth when your hot stepbrother is giving you head.” Mark said sarcastically and JB gave him a dirty look.

“Don’t worry, I’ll never get near your virgin dick again.” He said harshly as he got some clothes out of his closet and started getting dressed.

“Hey, it’s not like I have a disease or something. I don’t understand why you’re so upset.”

“First times are kinda important, Mark. You should do that with someone you love, someone you’ve known at least for a couple of months.” JB stressed, shaking his head in frustration.

“I know.” The older looked away, feeling a bit guilty.

“Jae told me that once, you know? And because we were in love with each other, it was unforgettable.” JB sighed deeply, that look of longing etched on his face again.

“Your first time was with Youngjae?” Mark’s eyes were wide. That faceless name again, echoing in his ear. Jaebeom’s tone even shifted to a solemn one when he uttered that name.

“His first time was with me. You kinda reminded me of him for a second back there. You really did. But you’re not him.” JB stated and walked to the door.

“You mean, you don’t love me? Well, I figured that much. It’s not like I’m head over heels for you either. We barely know each other. Your conscience is clear, little brother. Nothing happened between us and nothing ever will.” Mark assured him, but those words left a sour taste in his mouth.

“I need to clear my head. I’m going out.” The Korean stated coldly as he opened the bedroom door.

“Where are you going?” Mark asked, as his heart skipped a beat. He knew he had screwed up again.

“Don’t wait for me. If someone asks, I’ll stay at Bambam’s house tonight.” the other said shortly and left the house. Mark stared at the closed door in front of him and tried to control the urge of opening it again. He felt like running after Jaebeom and making him stay, but he didn’t. He envied Youngjae. Although the kid and Jaebeom were distant from each other, it was clear that JB kept him very close his heart and he would never, ever let him go. Mark didn’t have that anymore. He was sure Eric would replace him within a week. He blamed his Mom for making him go through all that shit. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t be in South Korea and he’d still be with his boyfriend. He was anxious to get back at hear at some point. Now that he could count on Jinyoung, things might start looking brighter for him and definitely pitch black for Dorine.

His haunting thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his cellphone on the nightstand. When he checked his messages, he realized that the unknown number, which kept calling him earlier, was Jackson’s. The Hongkonger had texted him his address and informed Mark that they needed to talk about last night. Mark wondered what Jackson could possibly mean with that. He knew Jinyoung wouldn’t tell him anything, since he sounded so sincere a couple of hours earlier. Their one-night stand should be kept a secret. He trusted Jinyoung’s intention of becoming his partner in crime. However, the American wouldn’t miss a chance to get out of that house now that it felt so empty and cold without Jaebeom around. Therefore, he called a cab, and decided to meet the Hongkonger.


	5. The reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> revelations...

When Mark arrived at the address he was given, he couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place. The front driveway and the scenic courtyard of the mansion before him was not what he expected to see. He was still all wet from the unusual, super awkward shower he had taken with his stepbrother and the last thing he wanted was to find out that Jackson had texted him the wrong address. The American marveled at the view and he couldn’t help but doubt if that was really Jackson’s house, so he decided to call the Hongkonger to confirm the address with him. It didn’t take long for the younger to show up at the mansion’s front gate.

“Hey sweetheart! You came. I’m glad you found the address. What happened to your clothes? It’s not even raining.” Jackson made a face. He observed the soaked state of the American while opening the gate for him. The American seemed enthralled by the wondrous tall trees surrounding them.

“Tell me about it.” He shook his head in regret, as he remembered the very event that developed inside the Lims’ bathroom hours ago. The older gave Jackson a bitter smile. “I keep getting under the water with the wrong people.” Mark sighed in frustration while following him to the luxury front yard. The Hongkonger wanted to question him further, but he thought it was better not to.

“Let’s go inside. I can find you some dry clothes.” Jackson said in a friendly tone, but deep down, he could feel guilt building up inside him. It was not the first time Mark appeared all wet in front of him, nor was the first time he had to find someone else’s clothes for him.

“Good, I feel kinda filthy in these. By the way, you gotta teach me some swear words in Korean. The cab driver was surely shouting hundreds of obscenities at me when he realized I got his passenger seat all wet. I know he was cursing at me. I have no idea how badly I should be offended though.” Mark sighed again as they entered the house. His eyes admired the gorgeous dome windows, the breathtaking balcony, the luxurious marble flooring, the unique opulent furniture, and he couldn’t help but notice the odd air of emptiness lingering inside that house. “Is this really where you live?”

“It’s J.Y. Park’s residence, of course.” Jackson informed him as they climbed a never ending staircase.

“Whose?” Mark looked confused now when they reached the lofted living room.

“One of the most powerful men in Seoul, founder and CEO of one of the most profitable entertainment agencies in South Korea. He’s runs JYP Entertainment, and he’s also a record producer and record executive.” Jackson clarified for him casually.

“Why are we here Jackson? Is this another prank? Cause if it is-” The American was starting to lose his patience.

“He’s Jinyoung and Jaebeom’s grandfather.” The Hongkonger said at last.

“He’s what? Do I look like a joke to you?!” Mark’s eyes widened as he saw the sincerity in the other’s expression. “The fuck are we doing here? I thought you wanted to talk about last night.” He immediately felt like a fool all over again. If that was another ambush, he wouldn’t let Jackson get away with it.

“I needed to show you all this and explain the actual situation to you, before you start freaking out.” Jackson told him as he approached a closed door and he opened it for the elder.

“What situation? I’m already freaked out here, man!” Mark exclaimed, wondering what the Hongkonger’s real intentions were.

“It’s Jinyoung’s room, get inside. We can talk in here.” Jackson said calmly, ignoring the alarm in the elder’s eyes.

“Why would I do that?!” he folded his arms defensively and gave him an absurd look.

“Do you plan to get changed in the middle of the living room?” Jackson asked simply, but the American refused to trust him.

“Fuck, you! Stay away from me.” Mark announced, as he turned around and walked away from the Hongkonger. He was so desperate to get out of that house that he ignored Jackson’s hurried steps after him and ended up opening another door, one he wasn’t supposed to. What he saw then, was clearly the largest piano room he had ever set foot in. It was designed with priceless antiques, and surrounded by what looked like a two-story library. However, what caught him by surprise wasn’t the impeccable designing of the room, but the piece of classical music that echoed through the walls of that room. The walls were probably sound-proof, because he couldn’t hear the sound coming out of it before he opened the door. Soon his eyes laid on a woman sat at a piano in the middle of the room. She was playing ‘ _Come, Sweet Death’_ , by Johann Sebastian Bach. Mark only recognized the piece because it was one of Joey’s favourites. His late brother was the one with classical taste in the Tuan family. His body froze as soon as the notes reached his ears, he could hardly breathe. The woman stopped and rested her fingers on the instrument when she noticed the teenager at the door.

“Hello. You seem lost. Are you one of my son’s friends?” Her voice was low and strained. The overly pale woman gave him a tired smile. Her eyes looked lifeless, dull and sunken. Her long white dress could easily reveal how thin her body was. The woman was also completely bald.

“That was amazing.” Mark said, as his eyes filled with tears. The haunting image of the woman before him and the soulful notes she had just played on the piano ripped his heart to pieces.

“Oh, good afternoon, Miss Park. Forgive the interruption. He was looking for the bathroom, and ended up here. He’s not fluent in Korean, and he probably didn’t understand well the directions I gave him. It was a silly mistake. It won’t happen again.” Jackson never sounded so polite. Mark took note of that, but he also heard him say the name ‘Miss Park’ and the beatings of his heart increased significantly. When the woman stood up, she seemed to gather all the strength left in her body to abandon the piano and walk towards them. The American knew her health was compromised.

“It’s fine.” She replied, her voice sounded even hoarser as she coughed a couple of times. “Hi, dear. I’m Jiyeong Park, Jinyoung’s mother. It’s very nice to meet you. And you are?” She asked him with a sad, but kind smile. Her cheeks had such a hollow appearance, that made she look older than she actually was. Mark was speechless, he struggled to find his own voice. He shook her hand, but his mouth wouldn’t open. Jackson chimed in, noticing the elder’s inability to talk, quickly answering that question for him.

“He’s Kevin Woo. Just moved here from California. Since he’s new in Kirin High, Jinyoung and I are looking after him. You know, showing him the ropes. Actually, we have a school project to finish, so I if you excuse us, we’ll be waiting for Jin in his room. Is that okay?” The Hongkonger informed her with a smile.

“But of course, Jackson. Jinyoungie’s friends are always welcome in this house. You know that. Did he fall in the pool? Make sure to find him some dry clothes in my son’s room. I don’t want this handsome young man here catching a cold.” Her eyes moved from Mark to the younger. “You know where to find everything, right? This is practically your second home. Go ahead and make yourselves at home. If you need me, come and find me.” She looked fondly at Jackson and started coughing again. She put a hand on her mouth and took a deep breath trying to keep it in. Jackson swallowed hard when she removed her hand from her face and he saw blood in it. Mark gasped, he looked terrified.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed, Miss Park?” the Hongkonger asked, wondering why she was alone in there.

“Oh, don’t do that, young man. Don’t pity a moribund woman like me. Today I sent all the helpers, nurses and servants away. I needed some peace and quiet. Then, I put on my best festive dress and came down here, my favorite room of the house. As soon as my cold, shuddering feet touched this very floor, he piano beckoned me, we were suddenly drawn to each other. Komm, süßer Tod, sounded too tempting, I had to play it once more. It fits my poor current well-being. Don’t you agree?” She said somberly, as she wiped the bloodstain on the corner of her mouth with the long colorless sleeve of her dress.

“Should we call a doctor for you?” Mark finally spoke, immediately worried about her sickly state.

“Don’t mind me, dear. It’s just a little blood. It happens all the time. If I knew we would have pretty guests such as you two today, I would’ve put one of my nicest wigs.” She declared playfully, as her eyes blinked a few times. They seemed sleepy and unfocused now.

“Come on, I’ll help you upstairs. If Jin arrives and sees you like this, he won’t be happy.” Jackson said, as he wrapped an arm around the woman’s waist and started guiding her out of the piano room. She didn’t protest. His gesture was natural, as if he was already used to it. “Kevin, wait for me in Jinyoung’s room, will you?” the Hongkonger added as he turned to Mark. The American took a minute to realize Jackson was talking to him and just nodded at the younger.

When the pair disappeared through the door, Mark gave one last glance at the piano and he could almost picture Joey sitting there, his fingers moving fervently through the shorter and longer keys. The expression of singular satisfaction etched on his brother’s face whenever he played the piano was an image he would never forget. Unwillingly, the American pushed those thoughts away, closed the door, and walked into the other room, that earlier Jackson claimed it was Jinyoung’s. He was flabbergasted by the bedroom. It wasn’t an average bedroom with a bed, a closet, a bathroom, a TV, a computer and some shelves. It was also a star gazing room with a living tree on the corner of it. He wondered if the glass ceiling would fog over with the click of a button.

“It’s spectacular, isn’t it?” Jackson’s voice interrupted his observations. He didn’t even see when the other entered the room.

“Is she unwell?” That was an understatement, and he knew that, but he asked anyway.

“It’s terminal cancer. It can’t be treated. The doctors tried, she went through surgery, radiation, and nothing worked. It has spread, there’s nothing they can do for her. They say she only has a couple of months." Jackson said, running a hand through his hair. He looked a bit distressed as he looked into Jinyoung’s wardrobe to find Mark something to wear.

“How come Jaebeom and his father are able to ignore that?!” Mark eyed him in disbelief as he sat on a chair beside the king-sized bed.

“They don’t know. They aren’t supposed to. It’s like her dying wish or something. Whatever you saw here, cannot leave this house. You gotta promise me that.” Jackson quickly met his eyes to communicate his seriousness.

“Are you fucking crazy?! We’ve got to tell him! Try to put yourself in Jaebeom’s shoes. If your mom were dying, wouldn’t you wish to have a chance to at least, say goodbye to her?” Mark raised an eyebrow at him, but the other didn’t give him an answer, so he continued. “Of course you would, man! That’s fucked up, Jack! How do you think Beom will feel when he finds out that you and his brother kept this from him?” Mark’s unyielding tone concerned the younger.

“It’s the Parks and the Lims’ business, not ours. Period. I think you’re ready to hear what you need to hear. I called you here to talk about yesterday night.” Jackson sighed and finally met his gaze. He threw a shirt, boxers and a pair of pants at him. “Get dressed.”

“Nothing you tell me right now will keep me from revealing the truth to Jaebeom.” Mark shook his head at him stubbornly, and ignored the clothes thrown at him. The Hongkonger grimaced. He just hoped his plan wouldn’t backfire. He had called Yugyeom and asked him to distract Jinyoung for a while in order to keep him away from the mansion. Jackson’s intentions were to show Mark the reason for Jinyoung’s erratic behavior and make him understand why the young Lim was so desperate to bring Jaebeom home. Only then, he thought that, perhaps, Mark wouldn’t react too bad when he learned about the nudes, which, he hoped, Jinyoung hadn’t used against him yet. He could only pray that a heartfelt apology would suffice.

“I was the one who got you dressed in Yugyeom father’s clothes yesterday night. But that was after the pool, after the wine, after Jinyoung brought you upstairs and got you naked.” Jackson said at once, almost unable to go on. He approached the bed and eyed Mark up and down, fearing his response. However, the other just looked away embarrassedly.

“So, you caught us in the act. Well, I’m sorry, okay. We were both hammered, and it just happened. I guess I can’t handle Korean booze. I mean, I can’t remember a thing! But Jinyoung already explained everything. It was a stupid mistake. I hope this doesn’t affect your relationship with him. You said yourself that you guys are not exclusive, right? I’d hate to know that I’m not the only one losing a boyfriend because of last night. It’s obvious Nyoungie has enough shit on his plate to deal with right now. I kinda know how it feels like, you know.” Mark innocently apologized and tried to explain himself. Jackson couldn’t believe his own ears. Did Mark call Jinyoung ‘Nyoungie’?

“Wait! You have a boyfriend?” the younger was taken aback. Only a second later he could recover from the shock. It had never crossed his mind that Mark could be gay. “Forget it, don’t answer that. What exactly did Park Jinyoung tell you anyway?” the Hongkonger couldn’t help but ask.

“You know! That we did it. Now you’re telling me that you showed up there, and you saw us, right? Then he was probably surprised to see you there, so he ran away, but since I was out of it, you stayed and got me dressed, isn’t that right?” Mark looked even more confused, as he tried to organize the jigsaw puzzle in his head. Then he frowned at the younger, waiting for his confirmation. Jackson immediately figured out that Jinyoung hadn’t shown Mark the nudes nor blackmailed the elder with them. The young Lim had certainly changed his strategy, Jackson just didn’t know why. The gullible creature before the Hongkonger’s eyes had no idea how cunning ‘Nyoungie’ could be. The pure ingenuity in Mark’s words made Jackson’s heart ache. And now that he knew Mark was into boys, he feared that some major drama could develop within the Lim family and make the whole situation even worse.

“Yes, right. Whatever.” The younger gave up. He didn’t have enough courage to tell Mark the truth. He would hate to shatter the elder’s naïve illusion of a one-night stand with his ‘Nyoungie’. Besides, he knew that if he told Mark what Jinyoung actually did, he’d be forced to admit to him that he was also there in the room when the pictures were taken and that he had just let it happen. It disturbed the younger to think that Mark could become paranoid and even claim that both him, and Jinyoung had done more than taking photos of his naked body. Jackson imagined that once the American learned about how he was drugged, undressed, and photographed without his consent, he would certainly feel fully violated.

Jackson realized that he could be accused of a sex crime, even though he avoided touching Mark inappropriately. The Hongkonger wasn’t one of the heirs of JYP Entertainment, he was just a foreigner far away from his home and family, he had no one to look after him. He would probably end up taking all the blame, once charges were pressed against Jinyoung. No one would believe him if he claimed that he refused to help the young Lim take Mark’s clothes off or pose his body for the camera. He knew deep down that he had invaded the American’s privacy in a way or another since he was there. Jackson already felt guilty by association. Perhaps, it would be better to keep the elder in the dark, at least for now. “Let’s get you out of these clothes.” He said absentmindedly.

“I was already getting used to them.” Mark huffed as he immediately took off his shirt. Jackson couldn’t help but fix his eyes on the Roman numbers adorning his side. He remembered how Jinyoung seemed to praise and admire his tattoos last night.

“Are the numbers supposed to mean something or they’re just random ink?” the younger sat beside Mark on the bed as he examined his tattoos closer.

“It’s my parents’ birthday.” Mark smiled sadly, as he allowed Jackson to touch the letters adorning the skin along his side. A unique kind of warmth filled the Jackson’s heart. How could that one be so tenderhearted and sometimes look so fierce? The elder’s sweetness stupefied him. He wondered how would be like to hold him in his arms.

“What is he doing here?!” A furious Jinyoung yelled as he entered his room and found the two foreigners on his bed looking quite intimate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Misery loves company...


	6. MAD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jealousy, a car ride and madness.

“I told him to come, he didn’t know it was the Parks’ residence. Just chill.” Jackson promptly stood up and walked in his direction, ready to appease the younger.

“I just went to check up on my Mom and she told me she had just met my new friend Kevin. Is this the one? Why is he all wet? Why are you lending my clothes to dear Kevin?” Jinyoung sounded sarcastic as he pointed a finger at Mark and eyed the clothes on his lap. The elder remained on the bed shirtless, looking like a deer in the headlights.

“That’s the first name that came to my mind. What? Would you rather if I told her who he really is? Mark Tuan, the son of her ex-husband’s new wife? And since when you have a problem with lending clothes to people?” Jackson tried to reason with him.

“He’s a fucking stranger! Are you gonna tell me why you brought him here? And why, of all places in this fucking house you two decided to make out in my bed!?” Jinyoung was beside himself with aggravation.

“We weren’t doing anything. It’s not what it looks like-” an alarmed Mark tried to explain, but Jackson cut him off.

“Ignore him, Mark. I’ll deal with this little shit. Just go get changed.” Jackson’s voice was firm when he told Mark to change in the bathroom. The latter silently complied and left the two alone. The Korean eyed him in bewilderment, but above all the feelings assaulting him at that moment, it was that jealousy burned inside him. Mark had his brother, his dad, his house, he seemed to get along with his old friends, and now he was trying to take Jackson away from him.

“What’s that, huh? Were you going to jump his bones if I didn’t get here in time? Can’t you control you damn hormones?” Jinyoung bellowed exasperatedly.

“You’re hysterical. If you don’t keep your voice down, he’s going to hear us. There’s not going on between us, you know that. Stop being an asshole, I’m just trying to help you, okay?” Jackson said wearily.

“You wanna help me? Really? It seems to me that you’re trying to fuck up my life even more than it’s already fucked. My mother’s state is supposed to be kept in secret, remember?” Jinyoung demanded as he approached Jackson. He endeavored to tame the green-eyed monster inside him. He wondered why the hell Jackson was touching those tattoos. The ones he had just touched last night while the American was unconscious. The Hongkonger had no right to. Then he wondered how it must have been exciting for Jackson to caress them while the American was sober.

“I was going to show him your miserable life and make him take pity on you. Then, I was going to beg him not to go to the cops because of those perverted photos you took. I mean, I’d probably rot in jail for what you did, my friend. I know how your grandfather is like! He would never let the name Park be involved in a child pornography scandal. He would save your reputation and incriminate me. Have you even stopped to think about that?” Jackson stated, as remorse almost made him gag.

“Don’t be overdramatic. Those nudes are long gone. I deleted them, are you satisfied now? It’s like it never happened, nobody needs to know, so keep your mouth shut.” The Korean relaxed a bit, as he sat on a chair. He knew then that Jackson was just having a crisis of conscience, and the Hongkonger did not intend to leave him.

“Why did you tell Mark that you two slept together?” Jackson felt a bit relieved to hear that blackmailing was out of question, but he still looked annoyed, as he frowned at the Korean.

“Maybe because I wanted to, who knows. He’s a nice piece of ass, that one. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed that. I know you Jack, I’ve seen you ogling him. Why does it matter if I lied to him anyway?” Jinyoung replied carelessly.

“Are you fucking kidding me? He’s your stepbrother.” The Hongkonger looked scandalized.

“Just get out, Wang! You’re giving me a headache. I need to talk to him. I have to make sure he’ll keep his mouth shut about my Mom’s current state. Neither JB nor Taek-geun can know, at least not like this. I won’t betray my Mom’s trust.” Jinyoung argued, as he sighed in frustration.

“Oh, and you expect me to leave him here alone with you?” Jackson scoffed.

“You have a meeting with the fencing club in fifteen minutes, you have no choice. Just go!” Jinyoung exhaled, yet the other still looked uncertain. “It’s not like I’m gonna rape him or something, okay?” he looked somewhat offended.

“Did you see Yugyeom?” the Hongkonger changed the subject abruptly.

“Oh, yeah! I knew that there was something off about Gyeomie. He suddenly calls me, after all this time, and tells me that I should help him out, that it was an emergency, that I should go to his house! I thought someone had died.” the Korean shook his head in disbelief. “I should have known that it was just a distraction. You put him up to this shit right? You needed time to secretly bring that freakin’ Tuan into my house.” Jinyoung squinted his eyes at the other.

“Exactly. And you immediately went to your dongsaeng’s aid, just like the old times, you always played the mother role in Got6. I knew you still had it in you. What did you talk about?” Jackson asked casually.

“We didn’t say much to each other. He just asked my help to clean his fucking house. It was a mess after yesterday’s party. I can’t believe how teenagers can be so gross. The place was disgustingly filthy. I still helped him up though.” Jinyoung confessed and Jackson started laughing uncontrollably.

“Just get the fuck out, Wang!” he hissed at the foreigner.

Jackson eventually left. However, he only did after Jinyoung promised him that he would behave himself around the American.

When Mark finally left the bathroom, it was clear that he had showered. Jinyoung was laying on the bed when the elder approached him. He smelled good, and Jinyoung couldn’t help but enjoy the fragrance of his shampoo on him. His clothes were too loose on the American and for some unknown reason, the Korean thought that they made him look ever more appealing to the eye.

“Sorry I took too long in there. Thanks for the clothes, by the way. I know I’m just a stranger, but you still let me wear them. Where’s Jack?” Mark asked timidly. Jinyoung sat up on his bed and offered Mark a space on it, right by his side. The American felt a bit awkward, but he still sat beside him. He wondered if the Korean was able to patch things up with the Hongkonger before the latter left.

“He’s out.” Jinyoung said shortly, making the situation even more uncomfortable.

“I should get going too. Thanks for having me and for the shower, of course. I know I came uninvited, but I understand your-” Mark started, but before he could get up, the other started talking.

“Now you know that some people call me Junior because I have the same name as my grandfather. Now you know why I desperately want Jaebeom here.” The Korean sighed. “But what do you think about my Mom?” he asked, out of the blue, without looking at Mark.

“She’s quite talented.” He said simply, not really sure how he should answer that question.

“She used to be a piano teacher, she used to give Youngjae private classes. The kid was quite skilled, and his voice, well, sometimes I thought he could sing better than me and my brother together. You know about Choi Youngjae, right?” Jinyoung asked emotionlessly.

“A little bit. Your brother told me about the fire.” Mark replied carefully.

“The kid was being a nuisance once he found out about my mom’s illness. He wanted to tell JB, so I had to get rid of him.” Jinyoung didn’t sound too proud of himself as Mark expected.

“If you want to bring your brother home, why not tell him?” Mark sounded genuinely curious about that.

“I don’t want him to stay with us because he pities her. She says she wants him to come home willingly, not because he feels obliged to.”

“Why he doesn’t visit her?” Mark didn’t understand why that family had to complicate things so much.

“Because he hates us.” Jinyoung replied honestly.

“Nonsense. There must be a reason for-”

“She also forbid JB to see Youngjae after the kid found out about the cancer. My brother thought she was just being bitter because her marriage didn’t work. He thought she was meddling too much in their relationship. He had an ugly argument with Mom when Jae told him they should break up. Jaebeom refused to let him go. So I made the fire happen, and Jae took off. The last time JB and mother saw each other, she didn’t look like the way she is now. He would never guess.” The younger sighed

“You realize all this shit could be avoided if you just told your twin what was going on, right?” Mark was perplexed by the conflicting matters of the Lims. He sympathized with Jinyoung’s pain, he knew how it felt like to lose a parent. He wished he could help him somehow.

“It doesn’t matter now. I took our mother’s side, he took father’s. I keep telling him to come home without even giving him a good reason for it. He’s entitled to his anger. Mother and I ruined his relationship with the love of his life. I just hope that once he decides to stop by, it’s not too late.” The Korean sounded sad, Mark had never expected to witness that grief-stricken expression on his face. He seemed quite mad when he arrived and now, the boy just looked inconsolable.

“Nyoungie, just tell him.” Mark insisted as he put a supportive hand on the younger’s shoulder. Jinyoung blinked a few times when he heard the nickname. He felt like giving in to the American. It was happening again, that strange sensation. The foreigner had unconsciously mastered a way to influence the Korean’s feelings. Mark never failed to confuse him. The younger felt like being manipulated, and he had to win that irresistible battle of power one more time. He ought to have the last word. He couldn’t let himself drown in those cinnamon eyes.

“That’s not gonna happen. No matter what, I will honor my mother’s wish and so will you, Mark. You owe me that. After all, my parents would still be together if it wasn’t for your mother. ” Jinyoung said viciously, in a challenging tone. He dared Mark to disagree with him.

“It was your father who cheated on your mom. What the hell!? He was the one who owed her faithfulness. He’s the cheater, not his mistress! How’s that Dorine’s fault? Her husband and son had died recently, she was a sad lonely, widow when she met Kirin High’s principal. She was obviously vulnerable, and Lim Taek-geun just made himself available. Your fucking father probably didn’t love your mother enough to keep it in his pants. It takes two to tango, right?” Mark stood up and folded his arms across his chest. He didn’t even realize that he had just defended his own mother with all his might. He noticed a fire burning inside the Korean eyes, he could tell the other was ready to explode, but the American stood his ground.

“You’re right, Mark. As a matter of fact, you’ve just opened my eyes. How could I be so blind? You won. Let’s go home and tell them.” Jinyoung was boiling inside with rage. No one had ever insulted his father that way. He had to teach the American a lesson he would never forget. A wicked idea had just popped in his mind.

“What? Right now?” Mark looked at him disbelief. That wasn’t the reaction he was expecting.

“I’ll grab my keys and we’ll go there. Come on!” He got up from the bed and pulled Mark by the wrist.

Some nurses returned to the Park’s mansion before the two teenagers decided to leave, so the young Lim didn’t have to worry about leaving his mother alone for a while. The Korean had all the time in the world to make the foreigner radically change his mind. Once they were inside Jinyoung’s car, the Korean started to question the American.

“Have you thought about what we discussed in JB’s room?”

“I’m not telling anyone, don’t worry.” Mark replied, as he rummaged in his pocket and suddenly realized he had left his phone at the mansion. “Shit, can we go back? I guess I left my phone in the bathroom after I showered.”

“I’ll get your phone back, Markie. Later. Now, where were we?” Jinyoung looked at him curiously. He was going to give the American a ride that he would never forget, but while he was at it, he thought it would be wise to get to know the other better. “You’re not telling anyone about the sex? Not even the boyfriend back in the U.S?” Jinyoung pressed.

“He already knows. He dumped me. I’m officially single, I guess. Long distance relationship sucks, anyway.” Mark sounded quite disappointed as he avoided the younger’s gaze.

“If it makes you feel better, you’re probably not the only cheater in this relationship. He must be banging someone else as we speak.” The younger smirked at the foreigner’s discomfort.

“It doesn’t make me feel better. It makes me feel like an idiot.” Mark retorted.

“You’ll find someone else. More handsome, more intelligent, with a bigger dick and great in bed.”

“I wouldn’t know about that.” The American almost whispered.

“About what?” Jinyoung frowned while keeping his eyes on the road.

“Dick sizes, performances in bed, I guess.” The American answered timidly.

“How come? Don’t you compare the size of other guys you’ve been with? Come on, there must be at least an unforgettable fuck in the back of your mind.”

“You were my first and I can’t remember a thing.” Mark stated uneasily. Jinyoung was speechless for a moment, as he tried to register what he had just heard. He didn’t even notice when he had ran a red light.

“Geez, I knew it! You give off this sort of purity scent that drives guys mad.” The Korean commented as he tried to play down the magnitude of his shock. The fact that Mark was still a virgin provided him an immense feeling of gratification. The more he learned about the American, the more challenging he seemed to him. He didn’t think that virgins could be intimidating. Some guys, just like his brother, would certainly suffer from a psychological downer once they found out about the inexperience of a partner, but he wasn’t like that. He would never refrain from going for it, virginity was far from being a definite dealbreaker for him. On the contrary, it was quite an attractive feature in his opinion. He found extremely interesting to chase that kind of goal, to get something that no other guy deserved to obtain.

“Aren’t you bothered by that? I mean, you almost risked losing Jackson because of a newbie like me.” Mark was relieved that Jinyoung’s reaction wasn’t as bad as Jaebeom’s once he heard about his ‘raw condition’.

“Don’t worry about him, babe. We are in an open relationship.” Jinyoung smiled softly at him this time. “By the way, I’m flattered.” He winked at the American, who just looked out of the window embarrassedly. Being called ‘babe’ by one stepbrother and being called ‘bunny’ by the other sounded so illegal that he couldn’t help but blush.

“I’m glad you’re not freaking out about it.” He muttered under his breath.

“Well, topping is one thing, bottoming is another story. You can actually still feel the guy inside you the next day.” Jinyoung commented, loving to see the elder’s cheek and ears turning red.

“Can we change the subject, please?”

“Why didn’t you let your boyfriend fuck you? Were you afraid of the pain, maybe? Or did you think it would be embarrassing to have a guy’s dick pushing inside your hole?” Jinyoung was talking dirty on purpose. It was clear how the other was uncomfortable with the topic and that kind of explicit language.

“None of that. I just wanted it to be monumental. With someone whom I loved and loved me back. I wanted to be sure that Eric wanted more than sex from me, so I waited. I know it sounds ridiculous. I know that now.”

“Oh, that’s his name? Eric? Well, maybe he still wants more than sex from you. How do you know he doesn’t love you? He’s just mad.”

“If he really loved me, he would have forgiven me.” Mark whined.

“It’s not that easy to forgive that kind of betrayal. My mother turned into another woman after she found out about my dad’s affair.” The younger commented bitterly.

“I’m neither married, nor having an affair. It was just a stupid drunken night that I can barely recall.”

“If you want to, I can make you remember. I mean, I can show you how it’s done, all of it. It’s better to get this virginity thing out of the way at once. If you keep delaying it, you’ll miss lots of opportunities with other guys. Not everyone is interested in getting to know the person they haven’t even fucked yet. Falling in love is underrated these days.” Jinyoung openly voiced his thoughts, knowing very well that his words could possibly bother his stepbrother.

“Have you ever been in love?” Mark’s question made him swallow hard.

“Can’t tell that I’ve been. My brother definitely has. Damn, that Jae kid turned him inside out. He suddenly became a fool back then, I could barely recognize him. Honestly, I don’t think I’m cut out for that. I usually don’t like the idea of having unruly feelings taking over my mind, dictating my actions, and clouding my judgment. It’s almost like a prison, don’t you think?” he asked, a bit uneasy. Mark’s question was tough, but he managed to survive that one.

“It seems to me that we have different views about love. I’d say love is more like a way out of the madness of this world. When you got it bad, you’re so busy being madly in love with that person, that you create your own special kind of madness, and this one only involves you two.” Mark commented with a faraway look etched on his face.

“You’re a hopeless romantic.” Jinyoung chuckled.

“Maybe, but I might take on your offer, someday.” The American said boldly.

“Mark Tuan, look at you. Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” Jinyoung widened his eyes. It enticed him the idea of being the ideal candidate for the virginal Mark. It was hard to come across a virgin guy at his school, he didn’t even think that it could be possible. The Korean had already plenty of meaningless sex since he was 13, so, perhaps, doing it with the inexperienced American could be an event worth looking forward to. He could teach him a thing or two.

“Well you bottomed for me once, I guess it’s only fair I do the same for you, right?” Mark looked at him suggestively. But deep down he was still sore from his break up with Eric and JB’s outburst.

“You do realize I have done this a thousand times before, right?” Jinyoung warned him.

“Good. At least one of us will know what to do when the time comes.” Mark said carelessly, totally unaware of the way Jinyoung abruptly took a different turn, far away from the Lims’ house.

“You’re not going to regret it.” The Korean assured him as he sped up the car through a twisty, but slightly deserted road, almost empty of cars. Mark shifted in his seat.

“Jinyoung, where are we going? Are you sure this is the way to your father’s house?” the American asked, as the urgency in his voice denounced his apprehension.

“Are you into auto racing, or street racing, perhaps?” the Korean asked out of the blue as he sneered at the older.

“N-No. Please, slow down.” the older stammered, as panic filled every fiber of his body.

“Don’t make that face! I thought Americans enjoyed thrilling outdoor activities like this one. I’ve seen it in the action movies! You’d better fasten your seatbelt, babe.” Jinyoung informed him, with a smirk playing on his lips. He increased the car speed, ignoring the other’s pleas.

“I don’t like this. Stop the car, Jinyoung-ah! Are you trying to get us both killed?” Mark screamed at him, gripping at his arm.

“Just like you got your brother killed in America? Well Mark, I might be a better driver than you, or not.” Jinyoung mocked him, his derisive laugh echoed in his ears. That was the same Jinyoung he had met at Kirin High’s parking lot. Realization hit the older like a ton of bricks. He had been fooled again by Jackson and Jinyoung. Jackson had lured him into the Park’s mansion so Jinyoung could take him for a drive. Mark’s eyes watered as he realized what was actually happening. That wasn’t a simple car ride that would take them to the Lims in order to fix their family problems. That was a threat. The Korean probably guessed how car accidents might easily freak him out after what happened with his family. However, Jinyoung still didn’t know who he was dealing with. Mark was about to show him.

“Promise me you’re going to keep your mouth shut about my mom’s illness, or you may die as a fucking virgin right now.” Jinyoung shouted at him, but Mark took a deep breath and suddenly went still.

“Is that all you’ve got?! You’ll have to do better than that, Nyoungie. Do you dare to threaten me with death? Bad move, kid. If you really intend to get my attention, threaten me with life then, a long one in this motherfucking country with motherfucking citizens just like you. Do you wanna die, stepbrother? Let’s do it together then. It will certainly spare you the suffering of having to watch the flesh of your beloved mother rot. I wouldn’t wish that kind of suffering on anyone, pal.” Mark declared as he made a grab at the steering wheel trying to get control of the car. A stunned Jinyoung desperately tried to push him away, once more, astonished by the unpredictable behavior of the foreigner. His strategies never worked with that one. He had no doubt about the elder’s intention to make that car crash, so he quickly stepped on the brake to halt the vehicle. The car rotated a few times, but it finally came to a stop. As soon as it did, Mark immediately opened the door and got out of it before the younger could register what had just happened.

Another car stopped, to make sure they were okay. Jinyoung couldn’t hear the conversation between Mark and the female driver by the road, but after a few minutes, the American got inside her car and they both left him there, unable to decide what to do next.

When Mark finally set foot on the Lims’ doorsteps it was past noon. He was tired, thirsty and hungry. He just wished he could go home, his real home. He hated all about that dysfunctional family and he just wanted to get away from them, from those problematic brothers, from the Park’s unutterable secret, from that boring school life at Kirin High, from everything. The thought of running away crossed his mind, but he didn’t really know where to go. Then he remembered he still had Yugyeom’s address on his phone, thanks to Bambam. The younger was nice and could take him in since his parents weren’t home. However, Mark’s phone was still at the Park’s mansion. He felt lost and angry at the same time. At some point, he couldn’t help but crouch on the floor and let his tears flow. A couple of minutes passed when the front door opened.

“Hey bunny, what are you doing out here? Where have you been? I was worried sick! I had to tell your mom that you were at a classmate’s house doing homework or shit like that.” JB said in a hurried voice. As soon as he turned the other around and realized that the trembling teenager was crying, he wrapped an arm around him. Mark welcomed the gesture and let himself be guided by the younger. When the latter helped the American up, and stared at his face, his tone turned impossibly softer. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

As soon as the pair reached the living room, JB put him on the sofa and went to the kitchen. Mark really didn’t know what to say or what to do. His stepbrother deserved the truth, but at the same time, he felt that it shouldn’t come from him. Perhaps, he should follow Jackson’s advice and stay away from the Parks and the Lims’ business. Jinyoung was clearly psychotic, and all the American wanted from now on, was to keep his distance from him. He still couldn’t believe that he wasted his first time with that scum.

Mark could completely understand Youngjae’s decision to leave that city. He would certainly do the same if he could.

“I thought you would spend the night at Bambam’s house.” Mark commented as JB returned to the living room and gave him a plate of chicken noodle soup, which he gladly devoured.

“I changed my mind. Where have you been? Why were you crying?” JB asked serious.

“Are we alone? Where are our parents?” Mark asked, suddenly a bit tense. He had to decide what to tell his stepbrother and he had to do it now.

“They returned to Kirin High. Answer the question, Mark.” JB urged him to open up.

“It’s not really your business where I’ve been.” The American said harshly.

“I’ve been covering for you this whole day. I deserve the truth.” The other protested.

“I didn’t ask you to do it. I owe you nothing. Leave me be.” Mark remarked.

“Why are you being like this? It’s because of what happened in the bathroom this morning?” JB sounded genuinely concerned and a bit guilty too.

“I’m going upstairs. I’m not feeling well.” Mark told him, as he honestly felt like throwing up at that moment. When he stood up to climb up the stairs to their bedroom, he didn’t notice the sudden change in the Korean’s expression.

“Mark, are those Jinyoung’s clothes you’re wearing? JB’s thundering voice echoed through the walls of the living room. Mark knew the younger would get mad, so he took a deep breath before he answered that. He couldn’t escape from that one.

“Yes.” The American turned around to meet his eyes. Of all the truths Jaebeom was unaware of, the elder was forced to reveal to him at least one, or two. He didn’t have time to make anything up.

“How come?” JB looked horrified, extremely anxious to hear his answer.

“Jinyoung and I slept together last night at Yugyeom’s party. I met him again earlier today, and I borrowed his clothes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who said the III world war would be about water?XD


	7. Don't wanna know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A war is postponed.

“Mom?” Mark woke up in his bed a bit startled. Dorine was sitting on a chair beside the teenager’s bed with a worried look on her face. After Raymond and Joey’s death, her son rarely called her mother, so she wondered if he was really awake or simply talking in his sleep.

“Hey, you’re finally up. You had a terrible fever since yesterday. How are you feeling?” His mother touched his forehead with the back of her hand and gave a sigh of relief.

“I don’t know. I am a bit thirsty, how did I get here?” a confused Mark sat up on his bed while his mother handed him a glass of water.

“You fainted in the living room and Jaebeom brought you up here. He was so scared that he wanted to call an ambulance, the poor thing.” She looked tired, but alert. She had been by her son’s side since she got JB’s call yesterday afternoon.

“I fainted? Where’s JB?” Mark asked as he eyed the empty bed across from his. His body still ached a little, but he felt much better than yesterday. At least he wasn’t feeling as crappy as he did when he was talking to his stepbrother in the living room. He remembered feeling a bit queasy and how his head ached a little, till he became dizzy. He also remembered the last thing he told his stepbrother. The teenager wished he could just fall unconscious again. He had no idea what the Korean would do with that unsettling information, and Mark couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about it.

“It’s 7 AM, honey. He’s at school. He didn’t wanna go, but I promised him I would keep an eye on you. He was genuinely concerned about your wellbeing. I never thought you two would get this close so fast.” She said while smiling kindly and ruffling his hair. Mark pushed her hand away, looking offended.

“Shouldn’t you be working, Dorine? I bet there are kids at Kirin High in need of your guidance. I’d hate to keep you away from them.” He commented, trying not to be affected by her motherly gesture.

“You are always my priority, Yi-En.” She stated without taking her eyes from him.

“I feel good already. By the way, you’re not even a doctor, you’re wasting your time here.” He crossed his arms stubbornly and urged her to leave him alone.

“I might not be a doctor, but yesterday night, when I borrowed a nurse from Kirin High’s infirmary and brought her here. I was the one who helped her bring your fever down. Taek-geun thought it was better if we took you to a doctor, but I know very well how you hate hospitals.”

“I don’t remember this nurse or you taking care of me.” Mark looked confused as he shook his head and tried to remember the events of the day before. He felt like an amnesic senile old man. It was the second time he passed out and people had to explain to him what happened while he was unconscious.

“You were pretty out of it for a while. Maybe your immune system is still getting used to Seoul’s weather. You always had problems during winter back home, remember? I’m just glad you feel better.”

“Are you?” Mark frowned at her, struggling to believe the woman’s words.

“Of course, you’re my son.” She replied, standing up from the chair.

“Can’t you send your priority back to the U.S.?” he sighed heavily, as she avoided his gaze.

“Good try, kid.” She shook her head in frustration. “I’m gonna bring you something to eat.” Dorine stated, as she quietly left the room.

After a few minutes, Mark finally got up from the bed, took a shower, brushed his teeth, got dressed, and started getting ready for school. He knew it was late, but he had to talk to JB about that whole story with Jinyoung. He hated not to have his cellphone with him, he dreaded all that could be happening in Kirin High without his knowledge. Would JB blame Jinyoung for what happened? As much as he hated that kid now, letting him take all the blame wouldn’t be fair. After all, they were both drunk. It was just a terrible mistake. Or, perhaps, not. That psychotic Lim could’ve planned everything beforehand. The American quickly reminded himself of Jinyoung’s wicked ways, and maybe, just maybe, that drink he gave him was more than just wine. Now, another concern crossed his mind as he wondered if whatever happened was consensual.

Mark grabbed his backpack and rushed downstairs, but his mother wasn’t there. His breakfast was on the table and someone else was sitting there waiting for him.

“Bam? What are you doing here? Where’s my mom?” he gave the younger a puzzled look.

“She had to go and she asked me to make sure you eat your breakfast.” The Thai boy explained calmly as he munched on a piece of toast.

“She’s gone to work and left a child to look after her sick kid?” Mark was shocked.

“Relax, man. Mrs.Tuan Lim trusts me enough to let me inside her house and keep an eye on her son. We grew very close at Kirin High.” Bambam informed him nonchalantly.

“Are you shitting me?” Mark gave him a distrustful look, followed by a disgusted one.

“Eww! Hey, man! I don’t mean it like that!” Bambam felt like he had to explain himself now to avoid any misunderstanding. “You see, there was a time in which I was really depressed and homesick. My grades sucked, I wanted to drop out, go back to Thailand and I was really sick and tired of Seoul. Got6 had gone to hell, and I felt like I had nothing left here. One day she called me into her office, so we started talking about my problems. It seemed to work, I felt lighter, you know? Then I started seeing her on a weekly basis, and somehow, with time, her counseling helped me overcome that not so nice phase of my life. I would share with her my story and she would share with me a bit of hers. While I would her about the Thai kid who dreamed to be an idol, she‘d tell me about her rebellious American son, whom she missed like crazy.” Bambam told him with quickly. Mark shook his head at him thinking of how ridiculous that whole story sounded. His mother was a good liar and she was probably missing her dead son, not him.

“Why the hell aren’t you in school?” he couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing there.

“She asked me the same. I told her I had to skip class to do you a favor. If she wasn’t in a hurry, she would’ve probably given me a sermon.” Bambam chuckled. “I came to give your cellphone back. Actually, Jack asked me to come. Are you telling me why he had your cellphone with him?” Bambam questioned as he pointed to the cellphone on the kitchen table.

“Thanks. Why didn’t he come here himself?” Mark eyed the younger suspiciously, ignoring his question. He was absolutely sure that the Hongkonger was in cahoots with the psychotic Lim. He wondered how much Bambam knew about that whole story, he would hate to know that he’d have to kick the younger’s ass too.

“He’s busy. Heavy shit went down at school today. The whole soccer team might get suspended, or even expelled.” Bambam replied a bit wearily.

“Why?” asked uninterestedly, wondering what to do next time Jackson and Jinyoung dared to cross his path. Torture or murder?

“A fight broke between JB, Yugyeom, Jackson and some members of the team. JB accused one of the players of selling roofies at Yugyeom’s party. Things got a bit physical in the soccer field when JB punched their goalkeeper. Suddenly the whole team was attacking Jaebeom and then, Yuggie, Jack, the guys of the fencing club, and I tried to help him.”

“Oh, my God! Is he okay?” The American looked extremely upset now. That whole mess certainly had to do with his evil stepbrother. Did he heard Bambam say ‘roofies’?! Shit!

“He’ll survive, don’t worry. He had worse than that before.” The Thai boy’s eyes looked faraway and then he fixed his look on the older again. “Look, that’s why your Mom had to go back to school so fast. The parents of the kids involved are being called there. I managed to escape because I was just trying to break up the fight.”

“Shit! Shit! Shit! Wasn’t Jinyoung there?” Mark said irritably as he paced around the kitchen. Lots of heinous thoughts invaded his mind. Was he drugged? Sexually assaulted? 

“He was absent today.” The younger replied, noticing the uneasiness on the other’s expression.

“How convenient! Damn it! It’s all his fault!” the distressed American picked up his mobile from the table and tried to call JB’s number, but his phone seemed to be off.

“Mark, what’s going on?” The Thai boy looked alarmed. He wondered what the former Mom of Got6 had done now. Unfortunately, Jinyoung seemed to be involved in all kinds of bad deeds that took place in Kirin High.

“Jackson and that asshole Park Jinyoung slipped a fucking rape drug in my drink and did something to me at Yugyeom’s party!” Mark ran a nervous hand through his hair, as he eyed the appalled boy sitting in front of him.

“Jack would never-”

“Shut up, Bam! I was the victim there! Not you! Jinyoung says we fucked, Jackson says he got me dressed, but I don’t even remember how I got naked in that room. They clearly took advantage of my naivety.” Mark yelled furiously. Now that he had an idea of what really took place two nights ago, he felt shame and anger at the same time.

“Hey, man, calm down, okay? I know Jackson, and I can assure you that he would never do something like that to anyone. Maybe this is just a misunderstanding.” Bambam tried to reason with the older. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

“Oh really?! That’s really too bad, because I’m gonna go to the fucking cops right now, and tell them what those punks did to me!” Mark was fuming, he felt used and humiliated.

“No, you’re not.” Jinyoung appeared out of nowhere. At first, Bambam and Mark simply stared wide eyed at the Korean, still registering his presence there. Then Mark exploded.

“You fucking asshole! What did you do to me?!” Mark demanded as he marched towards the Korean, grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him against the kitchen wall. “Did you and Jackson enjoy making a fool of me all over again? How did you touch me exactly? Whose idea was it?” Mark demanded, as he slapped his face, but he got no response from him. “What kind of education did you receive from your parents, huh? Oh, sorry, they were too busy fighting each other to even give you some well-deserved ass whooping! You both disgust me!” Mark yelled at the younger. Jinyoung had an empty look in his eyes, he allowed the American spit on his face.

“Hyung, tell me you didn’t do it. Come on, that’s not you. You wouldn’t stoop so low.” Bambam’s plea was directed to Jinyoung, and only then the Korean seemed to acknowledge his dongsaeng’s presence there. The frightened Thai boy stood there, across from the pair, hoping that he wouldn’t have to break up another fight. A distraught Jinyoung sighed miserably, but seemed to find his voice when he stared back at his stepbrother.

“Jackson didn’t do anything. I threw you in the pool, I was the one who spiked your drink, I was the one who offered it to you. I took you to that bedroom, took your wet clothes off, and took some pictures. But they are gone now. There was no sex involved. I just made you think like that, but I lied.” Jinyoung told him emotionlessly.

“Why would you do something like that? I know you’re a jerk, but, what did you plan to do with those filthy pictures?” Mark asked angrily, without taking his eyes from him. He wanted to know everything.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing does.” The Korean whispered gloomily. The American removed his hands from the younger and examined his eyes more closely. He had been crying. Mark suddenly figured out that something must’ve happened at the mansion. The American knew that look very well. He saw it thousands of times when he stared at himself in the mirror after he lost Joey and Raymond in that car accident. There was a kind of grief in that look which seemed to never go away.

“Jinyoung!” Jaebeom’s voice echoed through the walls of the house. His presence brought some sobriety to the scene in the kitchen. Yugyeom and Jackson were with him. The three sustained some bruises, but nothing too serious. They seemed surprised to see Mark, Bambam and Jinyoung in the kitchen. The American involuntarily took a few steps away from Jinyoung when his eyes met JB’s.

“Hyung.” The younger Lim gasped, as tears started to fall from his eyes.

“Jackson told me everything. It took me a while to believe that my fucking twin brother, whom I’ve known for more than 17 years, would do something like that. Then I heard about your reasons, and still nothing justifies what you did. We’ll deal with the issue of those nudes now, brother. We are going to the mansion and you’ll tell grandpa and our sick mother what you’ve been doing to get me to see her.” Jaebeom announced firmly as he walked to his brother and grabbed him by the wrist.

“It’s useless. You’re too late. Go ahead, call the cops, unleash grandpa’s wrath on me, let’s disappoint father a bit more. I really don’t care.” Jinyoung closed his eyes after giving his brother a despairingly look. JB froze on the spot.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Jin?” Jaebeom’s voice trembled, his eyes blinked swiftly.

“She’s gone, Hyung. She had a cardiac arrest while you were playing hero for Mark Tuan here. She was fighting for her life, while you were fighting some stupid guys from the soccer team.” Jinyoung replied harshly and slowly crouched on the kitchen floor, crying his eyes out.

Three weeks later Mark found himself in the dining room, having dinner with Dorine and Taek-geun. He wouldn’t have joined them if a crestfallen Jaebeom hadn’t personally asked the foreigner to replace him during all the Lims’ daily meals while he was out. The American agreed to do that kind of sacrifice for his stepbrother, since the latter decided to spend some weeks at his grandfather’s mansion. Jaebeom explained to him the necessity of reconnecting with Jinyoung, he felt that since he was the slightly oldest twin, he had to support his brother through that difficult phase he was going through. Actually, both Lim brothers were going through a tough moment of grieving, yet, JB wouldn’t easily admit that. He felt like he had to be strong for Jinyoung after their mother’s service.

Mark had never attended such a crowded wake. It was full of ridiculously rich people, who were probably associated with J. Y. Park. He finally met the famous old man, who didn’t seem too pleased to see him there. Mark kept telling himself that his presence in that funeral home was just fair. After all, Jaebeom had asked him to be there. The latter was solemnly polite, most of the time shaking hands with those people who went to pay their respects to his mother. JB was clearly putting up a strong front, he was the one holding the fort, while his brother was nowhere to be seen. According to Jaebeom, Jinyoung had locked himself in his bedroom and refused to take part in the ceremony. The American could relate to that. He never understood the necessity of standing beside the body of your deceased loved one for hours before actually burying them. Dorine and Taek-geun also attended the ceremony, but they only stayed for a while and then left, mostly because of the hateful looks J. Y. Park kept giving in their direction. Mark didn’t know Mr. Lim very well, but he could tell the man was obviously devastated.

Now Mark sat on JB’s chair at the table in the Lims’ residence, and wondered if the principal of Kirin High felt, at least, an ounce of remorse for leaving his ex-wife Jiyeong Park.

“Aren’t you afraid that Jaebeom might not return?” the American asked casually, as he turned to a low-spirited Mr. Lim, who silently gulped down his third glass of soju.

“I’m not forcing him to come back if he doesn’t want to. He’s old enough to make his own decisions now.” The man answered simply.

“I’ve been to the mansion, it’s quite something. If I were him, I’d never step foot in this house ever again.” Mark stated, bothered by the man’s passivity.

“Mark.” Dorine intervened, giving her son a reprimanding look.

“It’s okay, Dorine. They boy is finally having dinner with us! He’s been doing it for more than three weeks. I don’t see a problem if he desires to voice his thoughts.” Her husband gave her a small smile. She just shook her head at him.

“You don’t have to be so nice all the time, Mr. Lim. Nothing changes the fact that you cheated on your severely ill wife, and eventually married another woman.” Mark struggled to get a reaction form that man, just because he felt like it.

“Nothing as it seems, kid. I never cheated on Jiyeong.” Taek-geun sighed in frustration, as he downed another glass of soju.

“Wow, you’re an actor too. Everything seems pretty clear to me. You’re probably the reason Jinyoung is so fucked up.” Mark provoked mercilessly. The American never brought up what happened at Yugyeom’s party. After Jiyeong Park’s death, he didn’t even feel like doing anything about it. Jaebeom promised him that he would fix his brother’s behavior and that he’d make sure those photos were really gone. Mark trusted JB, and since Jinyoung never actually blackmailed him, nor showed the so-called nudes to anyone, the American just put that story behind him.

“Poor kid, J.Y. Park is the one who has a bad influence on my son.” Taek-geun massaged his temples, as if he tried to get rid of an upcoming headache.

“How so?” Mark sneered at his stepfather.

“That man was never in favor of Jiyeong’s marriage with a simple school principal who couldn’t provide his daughter all the comfort and pomposity his daughter deserved. Can you imagine a wealthy heiress like her with someone like me? By the time we moved in together, she had to cut all ties with her family to marry me. She only reconnected with her father after the twins were born. I know that even though he tolerated me, he wouldn’t miss a chance of ruining our marriage. He kept feeding our children with stupid ideas of becoming famous idols who would take over the entertainment industry of South Korea.” The man argued, trying to reason with his stepson.

“They are good singers. I don’t see a problem in that.” Mark commented.

“They were children! And they still are too young for that. I don’t wanna see any of my sons putting aside their studies to become some sort of ephemeral star in people’s skies. Fame is not forever, but if you study and find yourself a proper job, you may have a chance to guarantee your future and the future of your family.”

“If everyone thought just like you, there would be no artists out there.”

“Mark Tuan Yi-En.” His mother protested again, but the teenager just ignored her.

“You are young, kids tend to be dreamers.” The man commented patronizingly.

“Say that when your father-in-law turns them into one of the most prominent global K-pop acts of this generation.” Mark gave him challenging look.

“Everything comes with a price, kid. I’ve seen what the old Park does with those poor trainees at his agency. He overwork those teenagers with tight schedules and crazy training classes. If they don’t improve fast, they’re kicked out. The majority of them suffer from stress-related illnesses, and even when they successfully debut, make a name for themselves, sell a lot of albums, the pressure is so unbearable that they end up killing themselves. That’s not a dream, young man, it’s a nightmare. You may accumulate a fortune, people might compliment your talent, but your life is not yours anymore.” Taek-geun explained to him, but Mark wanted to focus on the main topic of that conversation.

“So because your father-in-law wanted to turn your sons into idols, you divorced his daughter?” the teenager sounded relentless. Dorine shifted in her seat, if the truth had to come out that soon, she wouldn’t stop her husband. However, alcohol was clearly taking control of his usually collected behavior, and maybe, that wasn’t the right moment to discuss such a topic.

“When your mother started working at the school, we quickly befriended each other. She always provided me good advice whenever I had arguments with Jiyeong because of her dad’s interference in our lives. Only then, Park seemed to have found the best opportunity to turn my wife against me. He put a P.I. to follow my every movement, this person was paid to take pictures of Dorine and I, manipulate the images and send them to my wife. Jiyeong became convinced that I was having an affair with your mother, Mark. But I still refused to accept the divorce. I loved my wife.” Mr. Lim wouldn’t be so talkative like that if he wasn’t drinking, and Dorine wondered if she should just get rid of that bottle of soju and send the teenager to his bedroom.

“Are you for real? This sounds like a drama plot to me.” Mark looked flabbergasted. Blackmailing ran in that family. Like grandfather like grandson. Jinyoung clearly had learnt a lot from JYP. 

“When I refused to give the divorce, he blackmailed me. He said he would pay a student at Kirin High to accuse me of sexual harassment. He said he would destroy my life, compromise the whole faculty, and finally close the school. Imagine what my family would have to go through!” Taek-geun exclaimed as he filled himself another glass of soju.

“You don’t have to say anything else, you don’t have to explain yourself to him, Taek-geun. It’s late, Mark. Go to your room.” Dorine asserted, as she gave her son a firm look.

“If you weren’t having an affair with Dorine, why did you marry her? I mean, you could file for a divorce and remain single if you wanted to. I don’t understand!” Mark insisted, as his eyes travelled from Mr. Lim to his mother.

“The rumors spread all over the school. Park was certainly responsible for it too. Suddenly, all students were talking about how the school counselor was sleeping with Kirin High’s principal. I could fire her or save both our reputations by marrying your mother. I chose the latter.” The man said sadly, and finally stood up. “Now if you two excuse me, I’m going upstairs. I’m not really hungry.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me think that you were some sort of home wrecker?” the bewildered American turned to his mother, trying to understand her actions.

“It’s not really our business, is it? If I had told you about everything Jaebeom’s grandfather did to end his parents’ marriage, would you be able to keep that secret? I know you Yi-En, you’re too impulsive. Once you two befriended each other, you would tell him the whole story.”

“Would that be so bad?! I mean, I’m sure that if he was aware of J.Y. Park evil schemes, he would’ve gone to his mother before she died.” Mark insisted.

“By the time Jiyeong found out about her father’s schemes, the cancer had already spread. She wanted to keep it from her sons, but Jinyoung accidently found out.”

“Did you know about her condition?” Mark eyed her in disbelief.

“She came to me once she found out, and she told me to look after her ex-husband and her sons after she was gone. Jiyeong told me she didn’t want their pity, nor their pain. She wanted to be remembered as the strong woman she used to be before the cancer.” Dorine replied calmly, knowing very well what would be his reaction.

“I can’t believe you did this! You hid it from Mr. Lim and JB! You could’ve done something, but you didn’t! You robbed them the chance of saying good-bye! Is there something else you’ve been hiding from me? Wait! Don’t answer that, I don’t wanna know.” Mark couldn’t accept that truth. The unfairness in all that story made him feel impotent. Death kept interfering in the lives of those around him. No matter where he would go, no matter who he befriended, everyone he associated with would eventually be scorched by the infallible indiscriminateness of death. It was constantly around him, watching his next step, laughing at his mere mortality. In America, Mark had gone through hell after losing Raymond and Joey, and now, he was forced to witness how Jiyeong’s death impacted that family. Suddenly life seemed to be too useless to be lived, too mundane. Why wake up in the morning when you know that it might be the last sunlight you’ll be seeing? What would be the use of delaying a certain fate? Whatever experience he shared with those he loved would soon fade to memory. No relationships he built would remain, no one would remain, not even himself. Actually, his lifespan diminished every single day, just like his mother’s and the Lims’. All of them would be dead someday and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Every breath they took was a step closer to the end. The frailty of human life was constantly thrown at his face. Each funeral he attended was a reminder of his own.

A deep sigh escaped his lips, and he thought that if he kept thinking like that, he’d probably go crazy. After shooting a disappointed look at his mother, the teenager got up from his seat, and stomped out of the dining room without looking back. He ran upstairs, got into the bedroom he shared with JB and gazed at the empty bed across from him. He missed the Korean, he missed him madly. He hated that feeling, missing people. It kept happening, and he was getting tired of it. He wanted to get away and break free from those disturbing thoughts. So he put on a warmer hoodie, grabbed his cellphone, some money, and escaped from the same window he once secretly used to go to Yugyeom’s party without being noticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, where's Mark going?!XD


	8. FACE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carpe diem!^^

“Bunny, I’m so glad to see you!” JB was clearly excited with the American’s visit to the mansion. He wrapped his arms around Mark and he didn’t want to let him go. It seemed that he missed his stepbrother as much as the older missed him. He showered him with kisses all around his face. He loved to feel his warmth, to smell his hair, to touch him. The distance had really increased their yearning for each other.

“Wow, if you really miss me that much, why don’t you come back to the house?” a smiling Mark cocked his head to the side, when JB had finally released him. Although the Korean wasn’t all over him anymore, their fingers remained entwined.

“I can’t leave Jin yet. He barely steps out of his room. Grandpa is on a business trip, and I don’t have the heart to leave my brother to his own devices.” Jaebeom gave him a despondent look. “But I really do miss home. I especially miss you, Bunny.” JB caressed his cheek and ran a hand through his hair. Mark relaxed against his touch.

“I miss you too.” Mark confessed. He was glad he decide to got there. The first time he entered that mansion he had a bad feeling about it, but now, as he sat in that living room across from his stepbrother, suddenly he felt like there was no other place he would rather be.

“How’s Dad and stepmom? Are you sitting at the table with them? Have you been a good boy like I asked you to?” JB patted his head playfully. Since the Korean wasn’t even attending school during those weeks, the only way he would communicate with his father was through the phone. Actually, Taek-geun had agreed to let him spend time at the mansion to look after his brother, hoping that at some point, JB would manage to bring Jinyoung home.

“I’m doing what I can.” Mark suddenly remember the eventful dinner of one hour ago and he felt nauseous to realize he would have to keep one more secret from Jaebeom, how much of an asshole his grandfather actually was. The teenager didn’t wanna bring his stepbrother down. JB was trying to keep his cool, but Mark knew he was grieving. Perhaps, even more than his troubled twin brother.

“Good.” The Korean smiled at him. “You know What? I had a great idea! How about a movie and some popcorn? Can you stay the night? Should I call Dorine and ask her? I mean, I can drive you to school tomorrow morning. What do you say?” Jaebeom sounded hopeful.

“I’ll text her later. I’m sure she won’t mind.” Mark replied enthusiastically, not really caring about his mother’s opinion right now. “But what about your brother?” he added, a bit uncomfortable.

“We had dinner already. He’s not leaving this room after the last meal of the day.”

“How are you holding up?” Mark looked at him sympathetically.

“I’m fine.” The younger lied.

“Are you sure that if I sleep here he won’t take pictures of me while I’m unconscious?” Mark raised an eyebrow at the Korean. He couldn’t help but ask.

“Listen I know that was a terrible experience, and I promise you it won’t ever happen again. I’ll make sure he’ll personally apologize to you. Don’t worry, he learned his lesson. I confiscated his phone, Jackson and the others gave him a piece of their minds and he basically grounded himself.” JB sighed heavily. “I know it’s not much, but even if we went to the police station, we don’t have any proof. I mean, the nudes are gone, sadly.” JB smirked at the American and winked at him.

“JB what the hell!?” Mark looked scandalized.

“Calm down. It’s just a pity that I didn’t even have a chance to take a look at them before they were gone.” Jaebeom chuckled, after licking his lips seductively. The American shook his head at him and threw a cushion at his head.

“Oh, really? Maybe he’s in his bedroom upstairs jerking off to the same pictures he claimed to have deleted.” Mark suggested, a bit offended. Jaebeom’s expression turned serious.

“I confiscated his computer too. He only reads books most of the time.” The younger took a deep breath and continued. “Look, he definitely owes you and apology, and maybe, he also deserves to spend some time in juvie. I want you to know that I didn’t take lightly the fact that he drugged, undressed and posed you for his camera. But everything happened at the same time, you know. Too many revelations to deal with. That’s so unfair, I hate that you got involved in all of this. I’m so sorry, Mark.” JB covered his face with both his hands and grunted in frustration.

“Hey, it’s all right. It would be worse if he had raped me, or something. Plus, I’m not like some chick who would have her reputation ruined if her nudes ended up on the Internet. I mean, it’s easier for guys. I won’t be called a slut, but a stud! Some film director might even invite me to star on a porn movie, who knows?! I might become famous.” Mark chuckled, trying to get the younger’s hands out of his face. “Hey, as long as I don’t have to see him around, we can have a quiet night together. Let’s drop the subject.” Mark tried to cheer him up.

“No one should see you like that, but me.” JB whispered still hiding his face. Mark could barely hear him.

“What?” The American wasn’t sure if he had heard him right.

“I promise you no one will be allowed to see you like that from now on, and if anyone tries, I’ll kill them myself. I’ll protect your privacy and your innocence, Bunny.” He repeated a bit louder.

“No one can see me naked, but you, right?” Mark asked, as he kneeled in front of the younger, and abruptly shoved JB’s hands away from his face. The Korean couldn’t help but gasp when he felt the contact of the other’s lips on his. Mark released him swiftly, and bit his lower lip embarrassedly. “That’s called a Westerner’s spontaneity.” He said shyly, eying the other with curiosity.

“That’s more like it.” Jaebeom exclaimed as he quickly captured Mark’s lips again, gripping the back of his neck with intensity. That wasn’t a chaste kiss. Their tongues battled for dominance as JB’s body leaned against Mark’s. They were soon wrapped around each other, moaning on the carpet and rubbing their clothed erections against each other.

“Forget the movie. Take me to your bed, make me yours.” Mark managed to say between a moan. The carpet was soft against his back, but he still thought that a bed was essential for a first time. The friction of JB’s body on top of him was driving him insane, and all he wanted right now was to finish what they had started during a certain shower at the Lim’s bathroom. He had no doubt about losing his virginity to his stepbrother.

“We can’t.” JB replied without stopping his movements. He was positioned between Mark’s legs and he felt like he could die if he stopped grinding his pelvis against the elder’s. He slipped his hands under Mark’s hoodie, to caress his lower abdomen and play with his happy trail. The Korean swiftly took off his shirt, so the older could run his hands through his broad shoulders, chest and back. He loved the feeling of Mark’s curious hands grabbing his buttocks. He mercilessly licked and sucked on the American’s nipples and collarbone, making his stepbrother tremble with pleasure under him.

“Come on, it’s okay. I want you to be my first, it has to be you.” Mark whined, as he felt JB’s hands undoing the zipper of his pants and massaging the hard on that ached to be released from those boxers. He bucked his hips against his, loving the stimulation.

“Bunny, no. We can do it like this, we’re almost there. You’ll see.” Jaebeom whispered to him before giving the older another searing kiss. He knew they wouldn’t last much, the American was as hard as him. He often grabbed the bulge in his boxers and when he did it, he immediately felt Mark’s nails sink into the skin of his back. He increased the speed of his repetitive motions, the groping, the fondling and when he felt like coming in his pants, he gave Mark a bruising bite on the neck. He knew the other had reached his orgasm. The loud erotic sound that escaped from the American’s throat made him come hard inside his pants. He had never heard the older utter such a sultry noise, not even when he gave him a blowjob in the shower a month ago. Jaebeom quickly captured his lips again, and shoved his tongue inside his delicious cave, tasting one more time every corner of the elder’s mouth.

“Oh, my gosh! That was incredibly hot.” Mark exclaimed, while he tried to recover from his afterglow. JB laid beside him and fixed his eyes on the ceiling above them.

“I second that. I almost lost control for a while in there. You don’t know what you do to me. The way you wrapped your legs around my waist was quite tantalizing. I felt tempted to get you butt naked and just endlessly ram my dick into you, seriously.” Jaebeom confessed, still trying to regain his breath.

“Why didn’t you?” Mark asked a bit disappointed.

“You know why.” He turned his head to face his alluring stepbrother.

“When I found out I hadn’t slept with your brother I really felt relieved, but now, I don’t know anymore. It’s like my virginity is a barrier between you and I. You made clear before that you don’t intend to take that next step with me, and I feel like an idiot for begging.” The vexed American stood up from the floor and pouted at him.

“Bunny, don’t say that.” JB sounded regretful.

“I cummed in my pants. I need a shower, clothes and a fucking bed to sleep. Alone.” Mark stated annoyed. JB gave a deep sigh and stood up. He then took him to one of the guest rooms of the house and let his stepbrother have some time alone to calm himself. Jaebeom didn’t mean to hurt him, yet, even though he knew the older felt rejected and unwanted, he just couldn’t give him what he wanted. He liked Mark, he really did, but he had a promise to keep. Youngjae once made him swear that he would only fuck another guy, once he had totally forgotten about him. It was a silly commitment and somehow, it felt more like a curse. He was unable to erase from his mind the serious look on Youngjae’s face when they made that pact. He couldn’t really eliminate that longing inside him, that craving to see his face again, and make sure that he could move on from him. Mark wouldn’t be able to understand that, he was too headstrong to listen to his motives. However, Jaebeom was aware that something had to be done to appease his stepbrother’s anger.

Half an hour later, JB took the initiative, and quietly crawled into the guest room where Mark was. The American had just left the shower, when the Korean jumped on him from behind. The foreigner immediately flushed, since he had only a towel around his waist and his body was still completely wet from the shower. JB proudly eyed the hickey that was forming on his neck.

Clearly startled by the sudden contact, Mark turned around, and quickly disentangled himself from the strong arms that back hugged him. As soon as he registered JB’s presence there, he took a few steps away from the younger, feeling a bit exposed. They had an intense heavy petting earlier, and, somehow he felt a bit embarrassed about it, now that he was the only one showing some skin.

“I love to see you blush, Bunny.” JB pointed out, smiling at him as the other shyly smiled back.

“You caught me by surprise, Beom-ah!” Mark protested, but JB wasn’t paying attention to his words, his eyes were fixed on the elder’s naked wet skin. “Do you like what you see?” Mark blurted out, as he followed JB’s eyes wandering over his naked chest. The American wasn’t mad at him for ehat happened earlier, he just couldn’t stand being mad at him for toolong.

“Maybe I should give you some time to change and come back later.” JB stated awkwardly and moved to the door swiftly, but Mark was faster, and pulled him back to the room, closing the door behind them. He had just regained his confidence, seeing how his stepbrother struggled to remain collected.

“You came all the way here for nothing?” he sensually murmured in JB’s ear as he pressed the boy against the closed door. Both his arms trapped JB’s body in there. He aimed to corner the Korean, both physically and emotionally. JB couldn’t help but giggle at the elder’s attempt of seduction. He had no intention of running at all, he was just teasing the foreigner. There was nowhere else he’d rather be but right there, in his arms. Jaebeom secretly yearned to be the center of the American’s attention.

“What are you doing? You’re gonna get me all wet. Get off me.” JB said weakly, trying not to suppress his chuckles. He struggled to keep his voice still as he felt Mark’s tongue circle his earlobe. The sensation of those soft lips brushing the sensitive skin of his neck made him quickly forget what he intended to tell Mark. He swallowed hard when the older licked his parted lips, use his thumbs to gently stroke his brows and place gentle kisses on his lids. JB found his actions adorable, while he lost himself in the deep eye contact his stepbrother was giving him. Mark knew the Korean wouldn’t be able to resist his caresses for too long. The friction between their bodies was unbearable, and all the while, small drops of water kept slipping from Mark’s hair just to dampen his shirt. The younger could feel the elder’s hard and pink nipples rubbing against his chest. JB sighed, striving to remind himself that he should be the adult in that room, since Mark never really acted like a hyung.

“Come on, you enter a guy’s room in the middle of the night and you don’t expect to be ravished?” Mark whispered to him sexily, as he started pressing his hips against his captive with more intensity. JB couldn’t help but let a whiny moan escape from his lips. His capturer enjoyed the instant reaction he got from him, he loved to know that he was the one making the Korean utter such a melodic noise.

“You shouldn’t start something we cannot finish.” JB managed to mumble, looking dreamingly into his eyes. Although the younger seemed to be losing control of his own body, his mind was full of worries.

“We can finish this, right here, right now. You just have to say the word, I know you want it.” Mark murmured, while one of his hands tried to undo the zipper of JB’s jeans, but the younger soon put a stop his advances.

“Hey, don’t you want your first time with a guy to be more romantic?” JB eyed him seriously, brushing his hands away again, when Mark tried to reach for his waist. The older pouted.

“Don’t treat me like a chick, we’re both guys here, there’s no need to wait for roses and champagne.” he said impatiently and tried to capture JB’s mouth with his own, but the younger man shoved him on the bed and got away from his trapped position.

“You’re just horny. It doesn’t mean you’re ready.” JB replied concerned for the other teenager’s first experience.

“Is that so? Maybe you’re the one who’s not ready to man up and deflower your virgin stepbrother. I know you’re scared shitless, so don’t try to fool me with this lame excuse.” The older sighed disappointedly. “Isn’t there any way I can change your mind?” Mark asked seductively, as he got up from the bed, removed the towel from his waist and luxuriously walked in JB’s direction again. He would’ve thrown himself at JB if the latter didn’t utter the doleful words that immediately froze his passion.

“I’m not the virgin here, Mark, but you are. I like very much what I see, no doubt. I’d love to take you in my arms and make you scream my name all night long, yet, I want it to be special for you when the time comes, if it comes. We have to take things slow, okay? I admit that this attraction between us is getting stronger everyday, more than I’d like to admit. There’s no running away from it. There’s no doubt I want you to be mine, and mine alone, but not like this, at least not right now. We need to sort out our feelings before we do something we both regret. We need to know where this is going, make sure that the next step will be taken with caution and responsibility.” JB said firmly as an annoyed American started to quickly get dressed.

“Get out of my room. Jesus, you’re starting to sound like my fucking mother! What’s wrong with you!? It’s not like I’m asking you in marriage! You don’t need to make all this damn speech to make me understand why you don’t wanna screw me. Forget I even mentioned it.” Mark exclaimed, as he had just finished putting his boxers on.

“What? Didn’t you hear what I just said? Mark, I care for you.” JB looked confused and hurt by Mark’s rudeness.

“Thanks for that! Look, it’s late, Beom. We have classes tomorrow and I need to get some sleep. Who knows? I might find someone there tomorrow who’s not so afraid of fucking my ass!” he sounded unreasonably mad.

“Please, don’t be angry, I just want you to understand!” JB tried to explain himself, but Mark grabbed him by the arm and shoved him out of his room, quickly locking the door. The young man was about to knock on it, but he remembered they weren’t alone in the house and his insistence to speak to the older could possibly draw unwanted attention to them, so he gave up and went to his own room.

Later, on the same night, JB was in his bed, staring at the celling, distracted by his own thoughts, when the sound of soft knockings on his door. When he opened it, Mark was standing there, wearing his pajamas and holding a bottle of whiskey on his left hand.

“I hate arguing with you. I couldn’t sleep.” he muttered as he came into the room without being invited.

“Same here. Wow, this thing you have there looks expensive. My granddad will notice its absence.” JB commented as he pointed to the bottle in his hand, but the American didn’t really care. He shrugged when the other shook his head at him reprovingly. Mark wondered if he should just apologize to the younger, as he timidly sat on JB’s bed. Then he realized there was no need to. JB didn’t look upset, his stepbrother was already used to his stubbornness, so he went straight to the point.

“How old were you when you did it?” Mark stared at him firmly now.

“I’m not sure, maybe twelve, thirteen? Does it matter?” JB asked with a frown.

“It matters to me. How was it, did you regret it? Or it just felt right?” Mark asked further, as he looked down.

“It was not perfect, I think. I mean, I wasn’t even in love with the other kid, I don’t even remember his name. We were just using each other to get off. Sometimes I think I should’ve waited more. I mean, I’ve been with a lot of guys after that, but then, one of them showed me the real difference between sex and lovemaking. People don’t need to be in love to have sex, but you’re only able to make love with someone when you learn to love them. When I met Jae and we fell in love, only then, sex felt indescribable right, it felt wonderful, we truly made love to each other. I want you to feel as much loved and in love as I felt back then. There’s no need to rush things, we should try to learn how to love one another first.” JB replied cautiously as he kneeled before the foreigner sitting on his bed.

“Do you think you might fall for me someday?” an anguished Mark lifted his head to capture his eyes again. JB glimpsed a spark of hope in them.

“I don’t know, Bunny. Maybe. I’m confused, ‘cause you drive me completely nuts sometimes. I like to have you near me, I enjoy every single minute we are together! And all the time I really wanna kiss you and do all kinds of things to you, but we cannot ignore the elephant in the room. Our parents are still married, we are stepbrothers.” JB stated tentatively, as he noticed the apprehension in the other’s eyes.

“My brother is dead. I never considered you as his replacement. Not even for a second.” Mark huffed sourly. “Are you worried about the incestuous-like nature of our relationship? It’s not like I’m changing my name and adopting kids with you.” Mark shook his head in amusement. If JB knew that his parents’ marriage was a farce, maybe he wouldn’t be so worried about it.

“Having kids never crossed my mind, but Jae mentioned kids once. Of course he-”

“Why you keep bringing him up? For fuck’s sake, you still can’t get over that kid, can you?” Mark undoubtedly hated that name, Choi Youngjae.

“Bunny, you gotta understand that Youngjae was my first love and I always believed he would be my last. He had a huge impact in my life, but he’s in the past. He’s gone, and you’re here now. Who knows? You might become the second greatest love of my life. Only time will tell. We’ll see.” JB gave him a small smile, which was not returned. Something bothered the American.

“What if one day he shows up here out of nowhere? Do you think you might start seeing each other again?” he became unsettled by each second.

“I don’t talk to him for more than a year. I have no idea if he’s still in Mokpo, or if he found someone new-”

“That day when we showered together, you said I reminded you of him. Do you still think of him when you’re with me? Do you see me as a replacement for Jae? If we end up fucking one of these days are you going to scream his name when you cum inside me?” The American spat, unable to keep his feelings in check. He ran an impatient hand through his hair and glared at the younger.

“N-no. Of course not! What the hell, Mark. What’s with all of these questions? There’s no need to be so angry at me, or jealous.” JB tried to shy away Mark’s concerns. The latter was about to deny what the other had just implied, yet, he knew it was useless.

“Sorry. I’m just a bit disappointed that I’m the only one new to this whole thing. And guess what, I don’t wanna be anymore. My first time doesn’t have to involve romance, a candle light dinner, some expensive wine, and rose petals sprinkled across the bed. You see, I brought the alcohol, I dismissed the damn roses, and all the rest. Now you must sort out your feelings for me, not before you do me, but after. I also figured out that having sex with you might be the only way I can be sure of what I feel. We can discuss about this lovemaking shit in the future, because now, I want you inside me. Or perhaps, I can be inside you.” Mark stated boldly as he opened the bottle, took a sip from it and offered it to JB.

“I’m not drinking at this time of the night, and I’m not going to touch you either. Haven’t you heard what I told you before? We need time, Mark!” JB tried to reason with him.

“I heard you say you fucked other guys and that you enjoyed it, even though you didn’t love all of them! I assume you are not so in love with this Youngjae kid anymore, since you haven’t been contacting the guy, right? I had Eric Nam, you had Choi Youngjae. Past Simple. Now I can assure you that as soon as we get in this bed, I’ll be able to tell you what I feel, coz I need no goddam time! Believe, we don’t have time. Death is on its way.” Mark had a helpless expression etched on his face, yet, he ignored JB’s questioning stare, and continued. “Let’s stop being so cautions about details, and let us seize the night, this moment right here. And if love comes from it, I guarantee you, I’ll never, ever let you go. I’m not losing anyone I care anymore.” he said frantically, as he held JB’s face with both hands. However, the other slowly pushed his hands away.

“You’re a dreamer, Mark! Love is not forever, you know? Soon you’ll realize that “love” isn’t enough to make a couple happy. Love brings lovers together just to break their fucking hearts when it’s over. Love wasn’t enough to keep Jae and I from breaking up.” JB looked mortified, the longing that resurfaced in his eyes pained Mark.

“Forget this Jae kid. You don’t love him anymore, you just got used to the idea that you do. It’s like me and Eric. That was not love. Look, Choi was a fucking coward for leaving you like that. I am not like him, I’m not leaving you! We can make a death pact right now, and we’ll never have to mourn one another.” Mark shouted at the other. Jaebeom wondered if he should be concerned by the elder’s words. He had never seen him like that.

“Stop it, you’re not making any sense! Enough of this stupid discussion. You’re going to wake Jinyoung up.” JB was at his wits end as he realized that there was no way the American would let go of the subject. Therefore, he grabbed the bottle from his hand and took a long gulp while the older stared wide-eyed at him. The younger almost finished the liquid, but he placed the bottle on the floor, next to the bed and eyed Mark up and down.

“Are you going to finally invite me to your bed?” Mark asked in a softer tone, as he observed JB remove his t-shirt and sit on the bed.

“I’m getting under the covers, you’re welcome to stay with me if you keep your hands to yourself. Now, don’t get the wrong idea here. What I’m saying is that I’ll allow you to sleep beside me before you get a chance to sleep with me. Nothing more than sharing the same bed for now. Leave it or take it, it’s your choice.” he stated firmly, as the other relented.

“Do you realize you’ve already rejected me twice in a single night? I cannot put up with this, I won’t be humiliated any longer. I wish you have sweet dreams with your darling Youngjae. They might even keep you warm tonight. I’ll be at the sofa downstairs.” The older said tiredly, and after getting properly dressed, he stomped out of that room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry belated Christmas folks!


	9. If you do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Every day, every night, feel like a fool, you gotta know...'

Jaebeom followed Mark, embraced him, and quickly apologized.

“Wait, stay! Forgive me, I won’t underestimate your tenacity any more. You won, no more games. I just wanted you to be sure about it.” JB declared, and after giving a tender kiss on both his cheeks, he led his stepbrother to bed, where they took off their clothes and laid down facing each other.

“Promise me I won’t forget this.” Mark whispered to him, as they both lied naked against each other.

“I promise you, and I assure you, I won’t forget it either. You’ll be etched in my mind forever. I’ll remember the breathtaking image of a rarely fragile Mark, trembling and sweating in my arms, tightly wrapped around my chest, moving slowly inside me, and shaking with joy between my legs.” he sighed deeply, as Mark’s lips parted to receive his kiss.

“So I’m topping this time?” the American sighed nervously, just to receive a nod from the younger. “Let me know if I’m doing something wrong then.” Mark said, between gasps, as he climbed on top of the Korean. Jaebeom fisted the elder’s erection, while opening his own legs wider, and guiding the American’s finger to his entrance.

“You do whatever you want with me, right or wrong, I’m yours to take.” JB groaned and the pair kissed even deeper, finally giving in to their desires. After pushing three fingers in and out of the younger rhythmically, Mark just held JB’s hips upward, and adjusted himself between the Korean’s legs to completely penetrate him. Both lovers moaned with pleasure when Mark finally managed to be balls deep in his stepbrother’s hole. “I’m gonna fuck you senseless all night long.” He thrust inside JB until the beatings of their hearts turned into one. When they had enough of each other, and laid exhausted under the covers, they immediately knew their true feelings, even though they weren’t voiced.

When JB gazed deep into his eyes and was about to say those 3 lovingly words, Mark felt something heavy falling upon him.

“Rise and shine, sweetheart.” Jackson exclaimed in English, excitedly as ever. As soon as he landed on top of Mark, he was able to notice the bulge in his pants. “Oh, my God! You have a boner! Did you have a wet dream about me? Awh, I’m flattered. Maybe I should express my gratitude and give you a hand.” The agitated Hongkonger announced, as he playfully tickled his sides. Mark sat up quickly on the sofa, realizing he was still in the Park’s living room, the same place JB and him had a stupid fight the night before. When they fought a second time in the guest room, JB didn’t run after him to apologize as the American expected he would. Mark couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The hot sex he had just dreamed about never happened. He was still a pathetic virgin, unfortunately.

“Get your hands of me, Wang!” What the hell are you doing here?” Mark inquired exasperatedly, as he tried to get the younger’s wandering hands away from him. At some point, Jackson finally stopped teasing the elder, and sat on the sofa beside him.

“Oh, I see you’re not a morning guy.” The Hongkonger commented casually, displaying a smirk on his face.

“You haven’t seen anything yet.” Mark gave him a threatening look, establishing a certain distance between himself and the younger on the sofa.

“Look, I’m sorry for what happened at Yugyeom’s party. I was there and I didn’t stop it.” Jackson’s goofy demeanor was gone, he sounded surprisingly serious, and regretful. The American was about to give him the finger and tell the Hongkonger how much of a coward he was, yet, when Mark stared at his soft Squirtle smile, he didn’t have the heart to. Before an appeasing smile could form on his own lips, the older averted his eyes from him.

“Let bygones be bygones.” Mark muttered, looking around to see if they were alone. He wondered if Jaebeom was already up. He certainly needed to apologize for yesterday night. Only now he started to realize how pushy and desperate he must’ve looked, how willful he must have sounded. However, he convinced himself that he wouldn’t have acted so impetuous towards JB if he hadn’t heard all those revelations during the dinner at the Lim’s residence. He blamed Lim Taek-geun and his mother for his foul mood and his hot temper. He blamed the whiskey he had stolen from the Parks’ cupboard. He blamed death, for taking his father, his brother, Jaebeom’s mother, and for making him feel like he had to be hasty in having what most kids of his age already had. He blamed everything and almost everyone around him, but he refused to blame himself.

“Oh, my God! Am I hearing things? Am I forgiven?!” Jackson said extremely loud, instantly hugging the American, who tried to get away from his bear grip with all his might. However, the hug didn’t last for more than 5 seconds, since the Hongkonger became a bit intimidated by the other’s cold stare. As soon as Mark was released, he kicked Jackson to the floor, folded his arms across his chest and crossed his legs. He thanked all Gods for making his hard on disappear.

“I can’t waste my time being mad at a child like you. If you just promise me not to wake me up like this ever again, you can possibly become my BFF someday.” Mark informed him in a less annoyed tone. He certainly needed a friend lately. Too much information was thrown at him at once. He would probably feel a lot better if he could confide in someone.

“What about your wild and sexy lover? Can I be that too?” Jackson asked suggestively, as he licked his lips, and posed sexily on the carpet in front of Mark. The latter couldn’t help but stare at him amusedly.

“You wish.” The older chuckled, while shaking his head at the witty Hongkonger. Mark had never met someone so impossible and with so much energy in his life. He wished he knew how to make that one stop talking. When the younger winked at him playfully and blew him a kiss, the American burst into a fit of laughter. Jackson’s glee felt contagious. The older definitely had to thank the handsome seducer before him for making him laugh so freely. That was rare.

“Look who is here.” Jackson commented, as he noticed the young Lim coming down the stairs. “Good morning, Jin. Finally crawling out of the woodwork, I see.” The Hongkonger noticed how the American’s laughter ceased and how his lively expression hardened. Mark didn’t even turn around to greet the Korean, he just stood up abruptly, and without meeting his eyes, he went to the kitchen.

He could overhear Jackson and Jinyoung whispering to each other in the living room, but to his surprise, after a few minutes, the Korean followed him to the kitchen. It seemed that Jackson had agreed to give them a moment alone, because the Hongkonger just stayed in the living room watching TV while the Korean approached Mark.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was strained, his tone had a pleading edge. Mark pretended not to hear him, so Jinyoung spoke louder, with more determination. “Please, accept my apologies.” he almost begged.

“For what exactly are you sorry for Park Jinyoung?! For almost getting us in a car accident? For shouting those terrible things at me in the school parking lot? For making me believe that we slept together? Or for drugging me and taking pictures of my body while I lied naked in some stranger’s bed?” It was clear that the American wouldn’t go easy on him just because his mother had died.

“All of the above, I guess.” Jinyoung stated, without thinking. He was aware that he had a lot to make up for, and the American wouldn’t make things easy for him.

“Drop dead.” Mark said, turning away from him. It was the first time he set foot in that kitchen and he couldn’t really find anything to eat, but he still looked around the cupboard and inside the fridge to find something edible. “You guys seriously need to go shopping.”

“Jaebeom is doing that at the moment, he told me earlier this morning before he left. He warned me not to bother you.” The younger said, giving the foreigner a suspicious look, as he leaned on the kitchen counter. He wanted to ask Mark about what was really going on between him and his brother, but he thought that it would be too soon to ask the older that kind of question. “There are still some cereals in the pantry. Feel free to have them.” He pointed in the direction of the pantry and Mark finally looked relieved to find something there to eat.

“You people are filthy rich! Aren’t you supposed to have housekeepers, butlers and stuff like that?” the American shook his head at him while putting some cereals on a plate. He sat on a chair and wondered how come those twins were so different from each other.

“I fired all of them. I was tired to see their faces, their eyes looking pitifully at me. Grandpa will find new replacements soon.” Jinyoung stated casually.

“Spoiled kid. Have you ever stopped to think that those people needed their jobs? How did you exactly want them to look at you? You’re plainly pitiful.” Mark said mercilessly, without taking his eyes from his plate.

“You can be quite cruel when you want to.” Jinyoung commented, obviously hurt by the elder’s words.

“You want me to be sympathetic towards you? After everything you’ve done?!” Mark exclaimed, giving him a look of disbelief.

"Look, If I were you, I'd probably be mad as well, but at least I'd consider your state of mind at the time of your wrongdoing, and provide you a second chance." Jinyoung knew he was using quite an unfair method to get his forgiveness, yet, he promised JB he would do his best to make the American accept his apologies. "You, better than anyone should understand my pain."

"Now you're playing dirty." Mark furrowed his brows.

"Is it working?" Jinyoung cocked his head to the side and diminished the distance between them as he leaned on the table. "Listen, I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to convince you of my remorse." The younger could notice Mark's scowl dissolve.

"Actually, there's something you can do, Nyoungie." Mark declared with a lace of sarcasm in his voice.

"Do tell me, Markie." The younger said in a similar mocking tone.

"I've been asking around the school and I heard that you used to be Mr. Goody two shoes, like top of the class, model student, class president, your dad’s pride and joy, and all that shit. I've also heard your grades in Korean literature are something else. I mean, that was before you joined those jerks of the soccer team. Now you just fail in every single subject because you are usually absent on the day of the exams.” Mark said, without revealing that most information he gathered on the youngest Lim, came from the mouths of his dongsengs, Yugyeom and Bambam.

“You’ve been researching about me, stepbrother, I’m flattered. What does my brilliant past have to do with anything?” Jinyoung asked, a bit curious.

“Do all my homework for a month and we can forget that sordid story regarding the nudes, that insane car ride and all the rest.” Mark gave him a defying look.

“You should at least absolve me from the car ride episode. You were the one who was really trying to get us killed in there.” Jinyoung raised an eyebrow at the American, but the older dismissed his words.

“Are you going to help me with my damn homework or not?!” Mark threw his hands up in the air impatiently.

“You know what? I can do better than that, pal. I can help you with all the rest. I mean, Korean literature is not the only subject worrying you, right? It’s the Korean language in general, that means, History, Geography and all the other classes with a Korean teacher and Korean texts. They’re a challenge for a foreigner. I gave Bambam some private classes before and he improved a lot. I can do that for you too.” Jinyoung offered in a softer tone, and he really seemed sincere this time.

“Are you kidding me?” Mark wasn’t really fond of that idea, but he really needed help with that language. He could’ve asked Jaebeom to give him a hand, but he knew he would really want from him another kind of hand. He’d probably be too distracted by his broad shoulders and kissable lips.

“We could meet up at the library after classes. What do you say?” Jinyoung looked enthusiastic.

“Are you going to set it on fire while we’re in there?” Mark sighed hopelessly.

“I promise to control my pyromaniac urges during our studies.” Jinyoung beamed at him, and Mark couldn’t help but stare at his stunning eye smile for a few seconds.

“Deal.” He finally gave in, and although he wanted to, he didn’t ignore the hand Jinyoung extended to him. As soon as they shook hands, Jackson showed up in the kitchen screaming excitedly.

“MarkJin! My favorite grumpy pair of teenagers in the whole world!” Jackson exclaimed exaggeratedly, as he hugged the both of them, and gave each one of his unwilling captives a kiss on the cheek.

When Jaebeom returned to the mansion full of shopping bags, he saw the trio MarkJinSon laughing excitedly at some K-drama on TV. He didn’t expect to witness that kind of scene before him. However, it was definitely a nice surprise. He hadn’t seen his brother having fun in a while. JB could always count on Jackson to cheer up his distressed twin, the foreigner was definitely a mood maker. What JB didn’t expect was to see Mark fit in that picture so well. He hated to spoil their fun, yet he had to. None of the boys noticed when he entered the kitchen and left the shopping bags there. They only acknowledged his presence when he cleared his throat and walked into the living room.

“Mark hyung, your mother called. She almost had a heart attack this morning when she noticed you weren’t in your bed.” JB crossed his arms and gave the older a reprovingly look. Mark suddenly turned to him alarmed, yet, he immediately looked down, as he remembered the events of last night.

“It’s a Saturday for Christ sakes, can’t he stay with us?” Jackson chimed in, sounding like a little kid.

“She wants you home, hyung. Come on, I’ll give you a ride there.” Jaebeom said firmly, ignoring Jackson’s plea.

“All right. I’m gonna get my phone upstairs.” Mark said obediently, getting up from the sofa.

“I’ll help you find it.” Jinyoung added, following the American to the stairs.

“Jinyoung-ah.” JB said in a patronizing tone, before his twin started climbing the stairs to the guest room.

“I already apologized, and I’m gonna give him free Korean classes in order to redeem myself. Are you satisfied?” the young Lim informed his brother quickly, but JB only eyed him in disbelief. “Tell him, Mark hyung.” Jinyoung said exasperatedly and Mark simply nodded at the Korean.

“Oh, my god! Did he just say ‘hyung’?” Jackson was genuinely shocked when he heard the honorifics come out of Jinyoung’s mouth. Jaebeom smiled proudly at his twin, and let him go up the stairs with their stepbrother.

As soon as Jinyoung and Mark reached the room, the younger felt like he needed to voice his concerns.

“What was that downstairs?!” Jinyoung exclaimed as he gripped Mark’s arm.

“I should be asking you the same question. Why the hell are you calling me ‘hyung’ for?” the American frowned at his action and slowly removed the younger’s hand from his arm.

“I know how to get on my brother’s good side. He likes when I act all polite and shit. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I saw the looks between you two. It’s quite worrisome.” Jinyoung insisted, as the other quickly found his phone under the bed, and turned around to face him.

“Excuse me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mark huffed. “You know, you didn’t have to come up here with me. I already have my phone, and I need to leave.” The older said nervously, as he moved to the door, but Jinyoung was quicker than him, and right after he locked the door, he put the key on his pocket.

“How long has it been going on?” Jinyoung demanded seriously, as he positioned himself before Mark and the door.

“It’s none of your goddam business.” Mark said harshly, as he run a hand through his hair. With the simple movement of his shoulder, Jinyoung was able to see the huge hickey on the American’s neck.

“I guess you’re not a virgin anymore. How was it? Was he gentle?” Jinyoung demanded, gritting his teeth as he pointed to the mark on the elder’s skin.

“Nothing happened, not yet.” Mark remarked, looking away.

“I heard you last night in the living room.” The younger stated, clearly irritated.

“We didn’t do it, okay? How is that any of your concern by the way?” Mark looked annoyed now. The subject made him uncomfortable and he knew he couldn’t trust Jinyoung yet.

“It’s my business when you’re using my big brother to go back to America.” Jinyoung spat, and suddenly Mark understood the reason of his anger. The elder had proposed to Jinyoung that kind of deal once. Telling his parents that they were a thing was supposed to ruin Dorine and Taek-geun’s marriage and unleash a kind of chaos that could send Mark back home.

“No! It’s different with JB, I’m not using him. I like him.” The American said at once, taken aback by his own response. Jinyoung stared hard at him.

“Since it’s like this, I should warn you, he doesn’t like you. So keep your distance, and stop deluding yourself. He’ll never reciprocate your feelings.”

“You know nothing about us.” Mark retorted confidently.

“Maybe I don’t. However, I know very well he’s still in love with Youngjae. You’re just a distraction till that kid decides to show up again.” The younger said honestly, and he could swear he saw Mark’s eyes water a bit. The American was speechless for a while. He always feared hearing that, he suspected that Jaebeom was still hung up on Choi Youngjae, now he was sure of it.

“Get out of my way.” Mark whispered dejectedly, and this time, Jinyoung quickly unlocked the door and let him out of the room.

The ride to the Lim’s house was unusually quiet. Jaebeom imagined that Mark was still cranky because of what happened the night before. The Korean just didn’t know how to approach that subject without angering the American. When they arrived at the house, Dorine shouted at Mark for not answering her calls, and she was surprised to notice that he didn’t shout back. Afterwards, she sent him to his room and she became even more shocked when the teenager didn’t even question her order. Mr. Lim and Jaebeom talked a bit, mostly about Jinyoung. Jaebeom told his father that maybe, his prodigal youngest might return home sooner than he thought.

After the talk, JB went to his room just to find Mark moving his stuff to Jinyoung’s room.

“What’s happening here?” Jaebeom eyed him with concern.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you and I to share a room anymore.” Mark replied without looking at him.

“Mark if this is about last night, I-”

“Don’t worry. It’s not you, it’s me. I kinda got used to have the room for myself since you’ve been at the mansion for almost a month now. Soon you’ll be returning, and I think we should have our own space.” Mark stated as he kept emptying the drawers of his wardrobe. “It’s not like I’m leaving South Korea, I’ll be in the room next to yours. I’ll be there if you need a friend.”

“A friend? What the fuck! Mark, that’s not necessary, please, look at me.” A nervous JB held him by the shoulders and made him face him. “Is it because I said we should take things slow? Tell me what’s wrong.” The Korean looked confused. Mark wanted to simply say ‘Choi Youngjae’, but he changed his mind.

“We’re stepbrothers.” Mark finally met his eyes. The younger frowned at him.

“Bullshit, that fact never concerned you before.” JB insisted, looking puzzled and anguished at the same time.

“But it concerns you. It’s not like we’re going to start dating at some point. We’ll never be boyfriends. I’ll never be able to hold you, or kiss you in public. We’re not ready to face people’s prejudice. I know you’re scared of your father’s reaction and we know this is not getting anywhere. There are a lot of things to consider here. We’re moving too fast. I was unreasonable, and you were right.” Mark felt like crying, but he held back his tears. If Jaebeom decided to fight for them, he would stay. That was simply a test, and he hoped his stepbrother would be able to see through him.

“Bunny, don’t do that. I want you here. I don’t want you to go, there’s enough space for the both of us. Please stay with me.” Jaebeom begged as he cupped Mark’s face in his hands, and closed the distance between them. The Korean gave him a little peck on the lips, but the American wanted more, he wanted reassurance.

“I like you, JB. I like you a lot, and I can’t bear being around you and not touch you. I can’t fight these feelings, anymore. Someone will realize that there’s something going on between us, sooner or later. And what will you do if they do? Would you let go of my hand?” Mark looked deep into his eyes and waited for an answer. The Korean was speechless for a second. He took a few steps away from the American and sighed in despair.

“Is this about Eric?” Jaebeom’s heart skipped a beat. He refused to answer his questions.

“What?!” Mark eyed him in disbelief. “I just told you that I like you, I truly do.” The American’s sentence made JB even more alarmed.

“Maybe you’re having doubts because you still have feelings for him. Maybe you wanna get back together with your ex, I don’t know, Mark! Why are you saying these things? Aren’t you the impulsive one in this relationship? I mean, it’s clear you are neither the responsible one, nor the mature one in this room!” Jaebeom didn’t wanna argue again, but that talk seemed impossible to avoid. He didn’t know how to end Mark’s doubts, he had no idea how he could give him a proper answer for those questions. He knew that Mark’s decision to leave that room meant more than just giving each other space. That looked like a break up, and they didn’t even have the chance to discuss what was really going on between them. The American confused him and challenged his feelings. He wanted to tell Mark he liked him back, but there was a face in the back of his mind, a voice that told him not to go that way yet.

“Did you just say relationship?! Is that what we have? Are you sure? Because I don’t feel like I am in one. I have been in a relationship before, and it was more than just pet names and making out sessions. We actually were together and there was nothing to hide!” Mark yelled at him. JB’s reticence broke his heart. Jinyoung absolutely right.

“Mark do you realize what you’re asking of me?” Jaebeom gave him a pained look, his lips quivered.

“I’m not asking anything of you. In fact, I shouldn’t have to.” The American bit his lower lip as a tear slipped from his cinnamon eyes. “You know what? We’re done here. I don’t care. Just do whatever you want, it doesn’t matter to me, I’ll just go to my new room.” Mark announced madly, as he walked past his stepbrother carrying his stuff in one bag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was that even a break up?XD


	10. Magnetic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MarkJinSon getting to know each other!XD

Jaebeom tried to call, he texted, he e-mailed, and even stalked his stepbrother through social media, but Mark simply ignored him. The Korean returned to school right after the abominable 'break up'. It was the only way he could see Mark without having to confront him directly. 

The American was civil whenever they met at the cafeteria, but, whenever JB tried to get him alone to have a deeper conversation with the elder, Jinyoung was always there to drag their stepbrother away. The twins were still living at their grandfather's mansion, yet, Jaebeom was already considering to go back home. He missed Mark more than ever and he was sure the elder felt the same. He told himself that as soon as he returned to his father’s house, he would find a way to convince Mark to rethink their situation. JB felt that he was ready to take the next step in that relationship if Mark really meant to be with him.

On the other hand, Mark struggled to keep himself away from the Park's mansion, he felt tempted to tell Jaebeom about the story behind their parents' marriage, but he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Even if he told Jaebeom that Dorine and Taek-geun weren’t really a happy married couple, their problems wouldn’t go away. There was also the obstacle called Choi Youngjae. Mark couldn’t get rid of an absent presence. JB’s ex was an issue that only JB himself could deal with. There was nothing Mark could do. He just had to stay away, as Jinyoung had advised him, and to do that, he definitely needed a distraction. It didn't take long for him to properly bond with the boys of GoT4. Within days, Mark was officially friends with Bambam, Jackson and Yugyeom. At school, they'd have lunch together and sometimes they'd also skip class just to show Mark around Seoul. The American really felt like he belonged to a clique now, he didn’t even miss home as much. Jinyoung would join them once in a while, and sometimes, he'd show up out of nowhere and take Jackson away from them.

Jinyoung was teaching him Korean like he promised he would, and Mark somehow got used to his not so social behavior. His stepbrother wasn't much a fan of crowds, and he felt like he could relate to that. In fact, Mark realized that they had a lot in common. In a certain morning, he found himself in the school library sitting beside Jinyoung, and he started reading some poetry. The Korean was supposed to correct his pronunciation and give him some tips about how to improve it, but to Mark's surprise, when he finished the last verse of the poem, Jinyoung didn't seem to be paying attention to him. He was looking out the window, quietly, yet his shoulders were shaking a bit. When Mark called his attention, Jinyoung turned around to face him. The younger had tears in his eyes, and a sorrowful expression etched on his face. Mark didn't know what to say, or how to comfort him. Mark didn't know how to deal with grief, he never did. The younger seemed to notice the other's disconcert, so he just gave him a tiny smile, and quickly wiped his tears on the sleeve of his shirt. He held one of Mark's hands on the table and laid his head on his shoulder. The elder was taken aback, but he didn’t mind having his stepbrother so close to him now. 

"She was one of my mom's favorite authors." The Korean said sadly, as another tear slipped from the corner of his eye. Mark then read the name of the author again and it's title on the cover of the book. 'After you are gone', by Kim Hyesoon’s _Autobiography of Death_.

"You shouldn't tell me to read this one if it bothers you so much." Mark commented feeling a bit guilty.

"It calms me down." Jinyoung declared as he sniffled a bit. "How did you do it? I mean, how did you cope when you lost your father and your brother?"

"I drank like crazy. I had Eric by my side 24/7, we partied most of the time. We managed." The American gave him a bitter smile and looked away.

"Jackson is a great help to me. We do fun stuff together and he makes me relax. Yet, sometimes, just sometimes, I can't bear being around anyone." Jinyoung confessed, a bit distraught.

"Tell me about it." Mark told him, wishing he could have said something else to console the younger. However, no comforting words came to his mind. He had no positive opinions regarding the subject of death and loneliness.

"There's a clubhouse I'd like to show you tonight. Are you up for it?" Jinyoung lifted his head from his shoulder and eyed him with curiosity.

"Sure, why not?" Mark answered, unable to say no. If Jinyoung was looking for a distraction, he certainly could use some too.

The house club turned out to be a gay bar called _Why Not?_. It wasn't difficult to get in there when Jinyoung showed their fake IDs at the entrance. Mark was undoubtedly impressed. The boy was obviously resourceful. He had no idea where, or when the younger had gotten those, and he didn't feel like asking either. The music was loud, and all around the place he could see people dancing, making out, drinking and simply having a good time. The huge dance floor had a mixed audience, and the DJ 's skills were on point.

Soon Jinyoung dragged Mark to the middle of the dancing crowd, and the elder couldn't help but feel a bit out of place. The Korean started moving to the rhythm of the song, and Mark felt coerced to do the same. The American had never seen the other so elated, and he was pretty sure his stepbrother was on something. It didn't take long for people to notice the gorgeous pair on the dance floor. Inevitably, bodies and hands started rubbing against them. Invitations were made and declined. Jinyoung kept his eyes on the American all the time, keeping him safe from the hungry stares he was receiving now and then. The elder could swear that Jinyoung refused the advances of two guys with a simple ‘I'm taken'. When another tried to grope Mark, the younger pushed the man away and cursed at him. Soon, another body was pressed against Mark's, and bold hands quickly wrapped around his hips. Mark could swear he felt the other guy's hard on against his buttocks. However, Jinyoung didn't hiss at this one. The Korean smiled and winked at the person.

"You guys made it!" Jackson cheered in a deep husky voice as he back hugged Mark and lightly kissed his neck. The American could feel the younger's sweat dripping down his shoulder, and the well-built muscles moving against his back. Jackson’s masculine scent immediately filled Mark's nostrils and the elder fought to get free from his not so innocent hug. Jinyoung shared a look with Jackson, and the other released Mark, who almost lost his breath when he turned around to face the Hongkonger. 

Mark was hypnotized, as soon as his eyes laid on the younger. His white low cut v-neck t-shirt was more than revealing. There was a layer of sweat covering most of his chest, and his nipples were proudly displayed underneath the fabric. Mark had to bit his lips hard and force his eyes to wander somewhere else. Yet, Jackson's tight black leather pants were practically illegal, they begged for attention. The elder watched as the pair interacted. They hugged, kissed and suddenly Mark felt like a third wheel. Jackson’s eyes were shiny, alert and there was something else in them. He whispered something in Jinyoung’s ear and the Korean simply nodded at him. Mark watched in awe as the Hongkonger took a small pill out of his pocket and slip it into his stepbrother’s willing open mouth.

"Mark, go get us some drinks. Take your time, but don't talk to strangers, babe. We’ll be back soon." Jinyoung instructed him, as he led Jackson away from the crowd and went inside a sort of backroom next to the toilets.

Mark found his behavior weird, but he did what he was told. The American avoided drinking too much, since Jackson and Jinyoung already seemed too ecstatic. He knew very well that alcohol wasn’t the only reason for their euphoric state. Since he was the eldest, he decided to play the sober hyung once in his life. He sat on the bar with their drinks, but after 15 minutes of waiting, he went to find out what was going on behind that curtain which led to the backroom of the bar.

There, in that dark room illuminated by red lights, where other naked bodies pressed around, above, under and between one another, his eyes found a half-naked Jackson pounding Jinyoung’s ass in a more private area. The sounds of flesh slapping against each other, the moans escaping the Korean's mouth, the grunts and the ragged breath of the Hongkonger filled his ears.

Mark couldn't take his eyes from that scene. He could feel himself getting hard as he watched how Jackson turned Jinyoung around to face him, pushed his back against the wall, lifted one of his thighs, and spread his legs again just to penetrate the younger deeper. The Korean clearly enjoyed each hard thrust he received. He held the foreigner by the nape of his neck, reached for the other's face and gave him a sloppy kiss. Jackson pumped his erection nonstop, and Jinyoung's moans became louder by each second. At some point Jackson inevitably came inside the Korean, but he didn't neglect Jinyoung's erection. He slipped out of Jinyoung's hole and while he supported the Korean against the wall with one of his strong arms, he went down on him. Jinyoung licked his lips in appreciation when felt the foreigner deep-throat him, but after a few seconds, he pushed Jackson's head away gently and whispered something to him. Mark couldn't hear them, but within a second their eyes were on him. Mark swallowed hard. He didn't wanna be perceived as a peeping Tom. He really didn't mean to stare, he just couldn't help himself. He had watched gay porn movies before, but that scene could easily top any performance he had ever seen before. Those two were alluring.

To his surprise and embarrassment, the charming pair beckoned him with a naughty smile on their lips. Mark couldn't help but come closer. It was like Jinyoung and Jackson had some sort of magnetic power that attracted him to them. He just hoped that wasn't one of his wet dreams again.

When Mark approached them, Jackson immediately positioned himself behind him and put Mark in front of Jinyoung. The way Jackson's urgent hands roamed around his body made him gasp. Jinyoung just stared at them, without saying a thing. The Korean's shirt was hanging down his shoulder and his pants and underwear were somewhere on the floor. Jinyoung's erection was begging to be touched after the blowjob interruption, but he just leaned against the wall, waiting. Mark could see Jackson's seed running down Jinyoung's thighs and that sight turned him on even more.

Mark didn't protest when Jackson undid his pants and pulled them down with his boxers. Mark was totally absorbed in Jinyoung's beauty. When Jackson brought the three of them closer, one of his hands reached one of the Korean's thighs and he smeared his fingers on his own seed that escaped from Jinyoung's hole. He coated Mark's cock with it.

"Put it in him, sweetheart. He's dying to have you inside him. He's already stretched enough, I prepared him for you, just go for it. " Jackson whispered sexily against his ear as he gave a gentle pull on the American's cock and gently pushed him against the Korean. Mark had to put his two hands against the wall in order to avoid crashing against his stepbrother’s body. Mark looked scared for a minute.

"It's okay if you don't want to." Jinyoung muttered, his voice never sounded so erotic in Mark's ears.

"Shouldn't we use condoms or something like that?" The elder let it slip, hoping the other two wouldn’t be offended by his question.

"Don't worry, Markiepoo. We're both clean. Don't make him wait. Your baby butt is already making me hard again. I can barely contain my dick's excitement right now. MarkJin served on a silver plate only for me." Jackson said as he pressed his naked manhood against his rear. The American almost panicked as he realized how he was dangerously sandwiched between two hard dicks.

“Calm down. He’s been warned, he’s not gonna penetrate you.” Jinyoung assured him, as he caressed one of Mark’s cheeks.

“Not yet.” Jackson added, giggling behind the older.

"Don't rush him. Stop distracting him." Jinyoung demanded, without raising his voice. Jackson fidgeted a bit, but soon displayed his killer smile again. The Korean’s tone was softer when he locked eyes with the elder. "You can walk away if you want to, babe." His words were coated with understanding, as he eyed him tenderly. Mark didn't need more encouragement after listening to his sultry voice. Only then, he moved forward, guiding his erection between Jinyoung's thighs. Jackson's muscular arms came from behind him and lifted one of Jinyoung's legs to give him more access to his hole. Mark fully penetrated Jinyoung in one go. He struggled not to reach his climax too early. Jinyoung's walls were perfectly wrapped around him and he bathed in his warmth. Both of them gasped with the new sensation, and Jackson couldn't help but rub himself against Mark's behind, moving to the rhythm of the American's thrust inside the Korean. The three bodies were extremely pressed against each other. Jinyoung moaned uncontrollably, as he nursed his neglected hard on. All the time he kept his eyes on Mark, never wavering.

Jackson had already pulled up Mark's shirt and while his fingers played with his nipples, his lips devoured his back, neck and shoulder. All that stimulation was driving Mark up the wall, literally. He increased the speed of his hips as he pounded inside Jinyoung. He couldn't believe that it was finally happening. He would never imagine that his first time would be as intense as that. Mark Tuan Yi-En was losing his virginity to one of the hottest Korean guys he had ever met in a backroom of a gay bar. Who would’ve thought? He kept losing himself inside the younger, who just shouted at him to fuck him harder, faster, deeper, and he gladly obliged. 

"You're so big, babe, I want you to cum inside me. You're doing so well. Keep hitting that spot. Don't stop, I'm almost there. Oh, fuck!" Jinyoung managed to utter, between moans. Mark could already feel Jackson’s cum hit his back. He could feel the warm liquid slid down between his buttocks. Jackson’s hands kept spreading kisses against his back and stroking his side, caressing his tattoos.

"I can't wait to be inside your tight American hole as well." Jackson whispered in Mandarin against Mark's ear just before he licked and sucked on it. Mark instantly ejaculated inside a trembling, panting Jinyoung. The latter also reached his orgasm, as his seed splashed all over Mark's stomach. Drops of the liquid also found its way to the corner of Mark's half-opened mouth. When Mark slipped out of him, Jinyoung couldn't help but reach for his face and give him a full blown kiss. It was Mark's first kiss after losing his virginity. It felt monumental. He was surprised to find out that Jinyoung had a tongue piercing. He loved the way the tiny object moved around his tongue and grasped against his teeth. The unexpected sex was beyond mind-blowing and the kiss was something he couldn't put into words. He couldn't believe he waited for so long to experience that. A feeling of accomplishment washed over him. The gorgeous pair of young men in that backroom, looked, acted and sounded completely different from those two lazy teenagers he met every day at Kirin High. They were Greek gods.

"Why the hell did you kiss him?" Jackson's voice echoed in his ears. The Hongkonger sounded annoyed as he glared at Jinyoung, who had picked up his clothing from the floor, and was already getting dressed.

"Relax, it's his first time." Jinyoung replied in a small voice. Mark decided to pull his pants and boxers up. He wondered if he should say something in Jinyoung's defense. He remembered that Jackson once told him that Jinyoung and him had an open relationship, that they weren't exclusive. Perhaps, not everything was allowed to be shared with others.

"We’ve discussed this before. Kissing other people's lips is a rule that shouldn’t be broken." The upset Hongkonger insisted, ignoring the fact that his own dick was still hanging out of his pants. Mark looked at him amusedly and walked in his direction.

"Can we go somewhere more private now? I remember you said you wanted to be inside my tight American hole as well." Mark remarked, as he pulled Jackson into a ravenous kiss, put his penis inside his incredible tight pants and pulled the zipper up. Soon the Hongkonger was beaming at him. Jinyoung gave them an unreadable look, and Mark could swear he saw a glint of sadness in it. Was he jealous? He would never know.

“There’s a hotel nearby. We can take this party there.” Jackson suggested with a smirk, his foul mood completely gone.

“We are high out of our fucking minds. We might end up hurting him.” Jinyoung pointed out, giving Jackson a reproving look.

“I won’t get hurt. I feel like trying everything tonight. Topping, bottoming, I’m open to all possibilities.” Mark said proudly. Jackson couldn’t be more satisfied by his response. He slipped his hand inside his pocket and showed him a small pill, similar to the one he had given Jinyoung earlier. The American willingly opened his mouth, but before Jackson’s fingers reached his lips, the Korean shoved his hand way, grabbed Mark’s wrist and walked him to the exit of the bar.

“Are you coming, or not?” Jinyoung asked after him, and the Hongkonger’s smirk only grew larger.

When they arrived at the hotel room, Jinyoung looked more agitated than the other two. His mouth was dry, he kept clenching his teeth, but he felt exhilarated by everything that was taking place that night. Jackson was already in bed, on top of the American. They were totally naked, kissing, and feeling each other up. Jinyoung took notice of that. The kiss-on-the-lips rule had suddenly gone to hell. He didn’t want to sound like a jealous partner, but their kisses bothered him. The way Jackson patiently instructed Mark to suck on his cock and deep-throat him made the Korean grit his teeth even more. He didn’t feel like joining them, he felt like tearing them apart. He wondered if he was having a bad trip. He could swear he had seen his mother staring at them when they left the bar. Her presence there couldn’t be real, and he knew he was hallucinating. He didn’t tell the other two, but he didn’t feel as energized as before. The way Jackson’s strong body almost engulfed Mark’s slim form, made him feel nauseous. That was new. Jinyoung and Jackson had been with other guys before, they’d share them, they’d use them, they’d throw them away and they’d hope to never see them again. However, Mark was different, he was constantly in their lives, they went to the same school, he was clearly part of Got6 now, he was a friend, obliviously innocent, and he was also his damn stepbrother. Jinyoung’s conflicting thoughts were distracted by a seemingly uncomfortable sound coming from the bed.

“It’s okay, Markie. You just have to relax a bit. There’s a lot of lube already, it’s only a second finger coming in, don’t tense your muscles like that.”

“Are you sure you doing it right? It feels kinda weird.” Mark whispered, panting underneath the Hongkonger. Jinyoung’s eyes roamed around his body again. He eyed those tattoos, the ones he once admired at Yugyeom’s party, the very first time he marveled at his naked body. Then his eyes travelled to Jackson’s two fingers that pushed in and out of Mark. He felt a lot of empathy for the older at that moment. He didn’t want him to feel pain. Jinyoung couldn’t see the expression on his face, so he went to the bed and sat beside the pair. The American blushed furiously when he saw his stepbrother approach the bed. He covered his face with both his hands. He obviously wasn’t as confident as he was at the bar.

“You finally decided to join us?” Jackson eyed the Korean suggestively. “Why don’t you distract Markie a bit? The boy really needs a hand.”

“Get off him. Let me do him.” Jinyoung stated. Jackson looked at him in disbelief.

“I’m sorry, what?!”

“You topped me earlier, he fucked my ass too. It’s only fair that I get to be inside someone now.”

“Jinnnie, I’ll let you have him after, okay? I mean, if he’s still up for it. Bottoming for the first time and for two guys sounds kinda extreme, don’t you think?” Jackson looked puzzled at the Korean. Mark still hid behind his hands, but he quietly listened to their interaction. He really didn’t mind about who was going to do the job, he just wanted to get it done. Jackson’s two fingers were still moving inside of him and he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by the feeling of his hard cock against his inner thigh. Jackson was huge, and the elder wondered if his thick length would ever fit inside him. That simple thought filled his mind with worry. However, his silence dissipated when the Hongkonger’s fingers reached a delicious spot inside him and made him moan. The couple stopped discussing who should top Mark when the American uncovered his face, started touching his own cock and slowly pushed himself against Jackson’s fingers.

“Shit.” Jinyoung was extremely aroused by the sight before him. He could feel his own cock hardening.

“It seems you’re ready for more, sweetheart.” Jackson commented as he impulsively removed his fingers from Mark’s ass and replaced it by the tip of his cock.

“Oh, it hurts. Go slow.” Mark whined, as he felt his walls invaded by the Hongkonger’s shaft.

“It’s gonna get better soon, sweetie, I promise.” Jackson said softly, as he kissed his forehead, but before Jackson pushed in further, Jinyoung kicked him out of the bed. Mark sighed in relief when he felt the other slipping out of him.

“He’s mine.” The Korean snapped at Jackson, giving him a murderous look. The Hongkonger frowned at his behavior. “It’s my turn to top, I told you already.” Jinyoung added. Jackson was about to protest, but he just nodded at him defeatedly, and sat on the chair Jinyoung was earlier. He touched himself as he watched the new pair on the bed. Jinyoung then adjusted his position between Mark’s legs. His body was warmer, and the way he slowly leaned on The American’s body made the older anticipate his advances.

“I hope you’re not as big as him.” Mark eyed him nervously. The younger’s dilated pupils, magnified the power of his gaze on him.

“We can leave this for another day. It’s your call. I don’t want you to think that you have to do this. We don’t mean to pressure you. You’ve been daring enough for one night.” The Korean spoke very close to Mark’s face, never losing eye contact with him. “You didn’t feel intimidated by that backroom at _Why Not?_ , I was impressed. I loved the way you fucked me, you made me feel so good, babe. Maybe we should call it a night and go to sleep?” Jinyoung suggested, as he leaned on the American and gave him a peck on the lips. The Korean could get addicted to that. He loved kissing him.

“This might be my last day on Earth. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to be fucked by my hot stepbrother.” Mark’s voice had a tone of determination.

“What do you mean by your last day on earth?” Jinyoung furrowed his brows, he almost looked concerned. Mark put a hand on Jinyoung’s chest. The speed of his heartbeats seemed to have doubled.

“We never know what the future holds for us. Can you really be sure that you’ll still be breathing tomorrow? Let’s not waste time. Carpe diem, Nyoungie.” Mark gave him a cheeky smile, and Jinyoung just stared at him for a while.

“You’re one of a kind, hyung.” Jinyoung eyed him weirdly and shook his head. “I’m not gonna lie to you. This might hurt a bit, but once you get used to it, the pleasure takes over.” Jinyoung ran his fingers through his hair and kissed both is eyelids.

“Show me.” The American whispered, totally captivated by the other’s gentle gestures. The Korean moved seductively as he disconnected his eyes from him and brought his face down to Mark’s crotch. He started massaging his balls, while sucking on his groin. He gave his cock some licking and sucking too, but as soon as his tongue reached the elder’s perineum, he felt Mark squirm a little.

“It’s just my tongue. I’m not gonna hurt you, babe.” The younger assured him, as he spread Mark’s legs wider and started rimming him. The American closed his eyes and let him do the slickly job, the older was slowly getting used to the sensation, but someone else in the room was tired of all that ritual.

“How long this is gonna take, huh? I’ve already buttered him enough. Can you please fuck him already?” Jackson asked impatiently, as he jumped on the bed again. Mark looked up and sighed in frustration. Jinyoung stopped his motions and looked a bit pressured.

“Nyoungie, just do it already. I can take it.” He felt somewhat anxious.

“Don’t worry, Markie, we’ll help you all the way.” Jackson declared, as he came closer to the pair and gave Mark a full blown kiss. Soon he was nibbling at his nipples and sucking on his neck. The Hongkonger knew well how to push his buttons, the older slowly relaxed under his touches. By the time Jackson started whispering obscenities in his ear, Jinyoung was already halfway inside him and all Mark wanted was to be fully penetrated by the Korean now. He had just realized how Jackson’s voice became huskier when the Hongkonger shifted to Mandarin, and for some unknown reason, that turned him on even more.

“Move.” Mark moaned to Jinyoung, who was struggling not to mercilessly ram his dick inside the older. The Korean wondered how someone could shine so much before his eyes. There was something about Mark that blinded him. He didn’t wanna corrupt that beauty. But then again, why wouldn’t he? Jinyoung told himself that he certainly couldn’t be in his right mind. He blamed the ecstasy he took earlier for his unusual behavior. He had never hesitated during sex. He was often looking for instant gratification, several one-night-stands with no strings attached. Jackson was the only constant partner in his life, and still, he didn’t want him to have Mark. Jinyoung was unable to treat his stepbrother the same way he would treat another faceless stranger whom he couldn’t care less. Jinyoung felt it again, that suffocating feeling of imprisonment. He felt like Mark was manipulating him again into feeling so helplessly powerless. The blushing, vulnerable Mark shivering underneath him, was obviously the one in control. Mark’s existence dominated his at that very moment. Jinyoung felt like losing that battle now.

“Are you gonna make the poor boy beg?” Jackson gave Jinyoung a mischievous look and a light slap on his butt. When the Korean felt he couldn’t take anymore, he inserted his full length inside Mark, took a firm grip on his hips, and started pushing his dick in and out of his stepbrother. Mark never felt so much pleasure in his life. When Jinyoung instructed him to roll over and get down on all fours, he felt like passing out from pleasure. While Jinyoung took him from behind, and mercilessly fucked his ass, Jackson fisted his dick like there was no tomorrow. Their moans echoed in the room. The American was on cloud nine. Within minutes, he felt Jinyoung’s sperm filling him inside, and he felt like cumming soon too. Jinyoung rode his orgasm inside Mark but didn’t take long for him to slip out of his hole, totally spent.

“Your turn. He won’t last long.” A breathless Jinyoung signaled to Jackson as he laid beside a confused, panting Mark. The latter felt empty as soon as the Korean’s dick abandoned his anus. He didn’t even have the chance to come yet, and Jackson had abruptly stopped his handjob.

“Come on, sweetheart. Why don’t you climb on top of me and try riding my dick? I’ll make you come so hard, you’ll probably faint afterwards.” Jackson announced, as he laid with his back on the bed and waited for Mark’s decision. The American was a bit unsure, so turned to Jinyoung who was already staring back at him.

“Is that okay?” Mark met Jinyoung’s magnetic eyes again and waited for his confirmation. The American didn’t know why he asked the Korean such a question, but for some reason, he felt like he should. Jinyoung just nodded at him.

“Go for it, he’s good. He’ll make you feel good.” Jinyoung asserted him, but his eyes said something more, so much more. “You do want him, right?” he asked curiously.

“I don’t think I can move.” Mark declared tiredly. He wasn’t sure if it was Jinyoung’s eyes spellbinding him or if it was the ache in his back that rendered him motionless. Jinyoung then helped Mark up and brought him to Jackson.

“If you leave a single bruise or tear on him, I’ll fucking kill you.” Jinyoung said firmly to Jackson as he watched the Hongkonger grip Mark’s hips strongly. Jackson immediately gave him an apologetic look. The American was already on top of him, struggling to find a better angle to sit on Jackson properly. Jinyoung then came to his aid, and adjusted Mark better, slowly easing him down on Jackson’s manhood.

“Oh, Markie, how can you still be so tight after Jin worked his magic in you?” The Hongkonger grunted with pleasure, when his dick found his way inside the American. The latter felt Jinyoung grab his buttocks from behind and help him set a bearable pace, up and down. He loved the feeling of Jinyoung’s hands behind him. When Mark reached to his own cock in order to reach his climax faster, Jinyoung slapped his hand away and whispered to him a commanding ‘not now’.

“Oh, fuck! I need to cum, please.” Mark pleaded in English, as he painfully rode Jackson. He was so hard from the previous session he had with Jinyoung that he felt like he couldn’t take anymore. Jackson’s hard and thick cock constantly brushed his prostate and his erection screamed to be touched.

“You’re so fucking hot, sweetheart!” The Hongkonger exclaimed, as he was about to shoot his load inside Mark. “You shall be rewarded. Let’s come together, Markiepooh.” Jackson said as he started pumping the elder’s erection again. The American uttered a relieved grunt, thankful for the stimulation. However, what made him swiftly come undone, and ejaculate all over Jackson’s chest was the sentence Jinyoung whispered very close to his ear.

“You’re the best I’ve ever had, babe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year Yorubun!!:P


	11. Stop Stop it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajima haji haji haji hajima...

As soon as Mark woke up, the image of a completely naked Jackson filled his vision. The Hongkonger had his back to him and the elder could tell he was still sound asleep. The American couldn’t help but admire the muscled arms and the gorgeous butt before him. Mark enjoyed riding Jackson the night before, but he surely wouldn’t mind sticking his dick in that perfectly firm ass someday. He couldn’t help but run a hand through the Hongkonger’s silky hair, he loved the smooth feeling of it through his fingers, but when he noticed the younger move a little in his sleep, he quickly stopped his actions. Mark didn’t wanna wake him. So he tried to turn around to have a look at the stunning Korean laying behind him. That simple movement made him realize how sore he was. But when he finally managed to adjust his body, he noticed Jinyoung was already awake staring at him intensely.

“Are you thinking about fucking his ass?” Jinyoung asked out of the blue. Mark felt a bit intimidated by the other’s unfriendly tone.

“Good morning to you too.” Mark replied, refusing to admit that his stepbrother had perfectly read his mind. “I can barely move. Sex is the last thing on my mind right now, believe me.” He lied, but his cheap response seemed to appease the younger. Mark wondered if Jinyoung was bothered by the fact that he was eye-fucking his man for almost half an hour.

“The night was a bit rough for a first timer. Were you totally okay with what happened yesterday?” Jinyoung asked abruptly. Mark frowned at him.

“Of course! I wasn’t stoned nor drunk, so I guess everything was 100% consensual. I behaved like a proper responsible hyung, while my dongsaengs were a bit out of it. Why do you ask?” The older swallowed hard, as he noticed that the Korean’s pink nipples were on display.

“Sometimes I forget you’re older than us.” Jinyoung commented and sighed. “Does it hurt too much? I mean down there?” He asked, a bit concerned.

“I’ll live.” He replied casually.

“It takes a lot of trust to engage in that kind of activity with two more people. Does it mean you trust us now?” the Korean eyed him with uncertainty.

“It means I’m not scared of jumping on bed with two hot guys who are willing to take my pathetic virginity.” Mark said playfully. Jinyoung huffed in response.

“You made through the night. We’re still alive. Are you still thinking this might be your last day on Earth?” The Korean asked, raising an eyebrow at the older.

“There’s always a possibility.” Mark gave him a small smile.

“I’m glad you’re not accusing Jackson and I of doing something illegal to you.” Jinyoung smirked at him.

“As long as you didn’t put a hidden camera in this room nor recorded the whole thing, there’s nothing to worry about.” Mark shook his head at him.

“You think I’m some kind of pervert?” Jinyoung asked, faking an offended look.

“Is that really a question?” Mark chuckled.

“You’re officially a man now, Mark Tuan. How does it feel, really? No regrets?”

“Not at all. Despite the soreness, I feel great. What about you? It doesn’t bother you the fact that you shared your precious Jack with me?” Mark asked tentatively.

“Too early to answer that.” Jinyoung answered him, and it looked like he had really pondered about the question. Actually, he didn’t feel like he had shared Jackson with the American. In his viewpoint, it was the other way around. He had shared Mark with Jackson, and the outcome of that was still unknown.

“Do you think this might happen again?” The American asked boldly. Jinyoung froze.

“Jackson and I don’t do this kind of thing with the same guy more than once.” The younger’s tone was firm. Mark looked away, a bit disappointed.

“Awesome. Now you think I’m a slut, right?” he whispered, as he bit his lower lip nervously.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just stating a fact. We try to follow the rules as much as we can.” Jinyoung didn’t want to discuss that now. He certainly didn’t wanna think about Mark riding Jackson again. That couldn’t happen, he wouldn’t allow it.

“Oh, just like the stupid no-kissing rule? You really think a simple kiss can mean more than a good fuck?” Mark eyed him in disbelief. Jinyoung then decided to prove his point, and closed the distance between them. He grabbed the American by the neck and started kissing him slowly, gently stroking the elder’s lower lip with his own, nibbling at the sensitive skin without hurry, but with tenderness. When he opened his mouth to insert his tongue inside Mark’s mouth, the American wrapped one arm around his waist and welcomed the younger’s tongue hungrily. Jinyoung then stroked his arm, shoulder and back with his hands, pressing his body up against Mark. The latter moaned, as he ran his hands through Jinyoung’s velvety dark hair. When the Korean’s passionate caresses became more urgent, Mark sneaked his hands under the sheets to grab the younger’s buttocks, but Jinyoung just slapped his hands away and broke the kiss. Mark sighed, licked his lips and swallowed as Jinyoung’s magnetic stare penetrated his soul.

“You were saying…?” Jinyoung teased, giving Mark his best eye smile.

“Wow.” It was all his stepbrother was able to mutter.

~~~~~~

It was a usual school day at Kirin High. Got4 was having lunch together at the school cafeteria. Jackson was all over Mark, he had an arm around his shoulder and one of his legs was above the elder’s. The American didn’t seem to bother about the Hongkonger’s closeness, but Jinyoung was definitely fuming on his seat. After the threesome, Jackson openly displayed his affection for the American, the amount of skinship between the two would often draw the attention of people around them, and even at school, the Hongkonger wasn’t ashamed to demonstrate how he and Mark looked like the hottest couple of the moment. Some students called them MarkSon.

“So, are you guys a thing now?” Yugyeom asked a bit curious. He side-eyed the young Lim beside him and then stared at the pair sitting across him.

“We’re very good friends, that’s all.” Jackson replied with a sly smile, as he brought Mark even closer to him and whispered something in his ear. The American giggled a bit. In fact, he was comfortable around Jackson, he liked to have his attention, and he even encouraged his clinginess. It was similar to the relationship he had with Eric back in the Sates. They were complete opposites, Eric was a social butterfly, while Mark was the introverted, quiet type. Yet, they clicked. The fact that the Hongkonger could speak English and Mandarin made the elder feel somewhat, sheltered. Their seemingly clashing characteristics only made them more curious about each other. Their differences, for some unknown reason, kept them focused on spending more time together. Jackson was funny, playful and never a boring company. Because of him, Mark was already acquainted with half of Kirin High’s students. Meeting new people at least helped Mark get his mind off his relationship drama with JB. On the other hand, the American kept Jackson grounded. The Hongkonger had learned that Mark was a great listener and he didn’t feel like being the goofy foreigner all the time around him. With Mark, he was able to simply be himself. The pair wasn’t doing anything sexual because of Jinyoung’s rules, but the young Lim was convinced that Jackson was really tempted to reenact what happened at _Why Not?_ and in a certain hotel room a week ago. Jinyoung believed that his partner would break every single rule they had established for their open relationship, if it meant he could have Mark again naked on a bed.

“Oh, my God. I noticed Mark walking funny the other day. You guys are fucking, aren’t you?” Bambam asked flabbergasted. The elder blushed as the Hongkonger’s smile grew larger.

“Nobody is fucking anyone. Jackson and I are together.” Jinyoung stated and everyone could sense the annoyance in his voice.

“What’s with you? It’s the first time I see you claiming me as yours. Don’t tell me you’re jealous, Jinnie.” Jackson smirked at him. The American looked a bit uncomfortable with Jinyoung’s glare. He couldn’t really understand the relationship between those two yet.

“You wish.” Jinyoung replied, visibly irritated. Bambam decided to change the subject before the couple started a stupid argument.

“Well, is Mark joining us on our little adventure tomorrow?” the Thai boy asked casually.

“What adventure?” The American sounded intrigued now.

“We’re kidnapping Youngjae and bringing him to Seoul. Tomorrow would be his and JB’s anniversary, I mean if they were still together. The thing is, we’re planning to bring those two together again. Jaebeom is not supposed to know, but we’ve been contacting Jae hyung and trying to arrange a meeting between them.” Yugyeom explained, as Mark’s expression changed drastically.

“You are what?!” he raised his voice at the maknae as he disentangled himself from Jackson. Half of the students eating at the cafeteria eyed their table.

“Calm the fuck down and don’t make a scene.” Jinyoung instructed, giving Mark a warning look. The others stared at him confusedly, unable to understand why the American reacted like that.

“Guys, shut up. JB is coming in our direction.” Bambam said hurriedly as the other Lim approached their table.

“Mark, we need to talk. Now.” JB stated as soon as he reached their table.

“We’re busy at the moment, hyung.” Jinyoung chimed in.

“Shut up, Jin.” Jaebeom spat. Everybody at the table looked taken aback. JB was rarely rude with his twin.

“We don’t have anything to talk about.” Mark retorted, suddenly feeling like running away from there. He certainly wouldn’t want to be there when Youngjae decided to show up and rekindle his relationship with Jaebeom.

“I’m coming home tonight.” JB stated, and the shocked American wondered what that could mean.

“Are you leaving? Grandfather is rarely home and you’re leaving me there in the mansion by myself?” Jinyoung whined, clearly alarmed by the news. He couldn’t let JB get near Mark again.

“You’re free to come back with me, Jin. You should’ve never left in the first place. Your room is still intact, waiting for you.” JB told him seriously.

“I left home to stand by our sick mother, remember that?!” Jinyoung sounded resentful.

“Well, she’s gone now. There’s no reason for you to stay at gradpa’s anymore.” Jaebeom retorted angrily.

“How can you say that?! You still hate her, even after she’s gone! Look, she told him to go, I made him go, but you could’ve brought him back. If you loved him so much, why didn’t you go after him, huh?”

“Enough of that. Mark, can we go somewhere more private? I really need to speak with you alone.” Jaebeom ignored his brother’s words and turned to the American again.

“You always get like this when that date is close, right?” Jackson gave JB an understanding look. The oldest Lim looked like he was about to explode when he grabbed Mark by the wrist and took him away from the group. Jinyoung wanted to follow them, but Jackson held him back.

When they reached the school’s music room, Mark was panting. He had never entered that place and he wondered why JB brought him there. It was full of musical instruments and there was a huge piano in its corner. It made Mark nervous.

“What do you want?” the American demanded as he averted his eyes from the instrument.

“He used to practice in this room.” Jaebeom said as he walked around the place.

“Who the fuck are you talking about?” Mark was growing impatient by each second.

“Youngjae. I asked him to be my boyfriend in this very room.” JB informed, with that longing expression Mark hated to see on his face.

“That’s very romantic Lim Jaebeom. But why should I care?!” Mark threw his hands in the air, unable to hide his discontentment.

“Three years ago, on May 21st, I asked him to be my boyfriend. Tomorrow would be our anniversary.”

“Why are you telling me this? I’m not interested in your fucking loving story.”

“This is not about Youngjae, Mark. It’s about us, you and I. Why do you think I brought you here?” Jaebeom finally turned to him and met his eyes.

“Because you like to fucking torture me!” Mark shouted angrily. The news of Youngjae’s return made him feel like crap and he seriously disliked the presence of that white piano in that room. It reminded him of Joey, it reminded him of death. He remembered smashing Joey’s piano with a hammer the day his brother died. He also remembered regretting it later.

“Mark, listen to me. I brought you here because this room is necessary for what I’m about to do. In this room I committed myself to Youngjae, and in this same room I’m about to renounce him. I want you date you, Bunny. I want us to be boyfriends.” Jaebeom said tenderly, as he smiled at Mark.

“No, you don’t.” Mark muttered as his eyes watered. After what happened between him, Jinyoung and Jackson, the elder wouldn’t dare to say yes to JB now. He didn’t feel like he deserved him, not anymore. And if Youngjae showed up the next day, JB would probably take those words back.

“Of course I do, Bunny.” The other reassured him firmly.

“Don’t mess with my head, okay. The others told me tomorrow is an important date. I heard Jackson! What did he mean, huh? You become reckless when the date of the anniversary of your former relationship is near? Why do you have to bring me into this?” Mark folded his arms across his chest defensively.

“I just get a bit down during this time of the year, but now it’s different! I’m not feeling depressed because he’s gone, I’m feeling hopeful because you are here!” JB tried to reason with him.

“You are insane! Are you ready to tell this whole fucking school that you wanna date your stepbrother? Don’t make promises we both know you can’t keep!” Mark struggled to find the best excuse to reject JB’s advances.

“I’m ready to do whatever it takes for you to believe me. You are the one hesitating now! I don’t understand you! What do you want, huh? You want me to go to our parents right now and tell them about us?! Because I will, Mark!” Jaebeom shouted back and moved to the door.

“Don’t!” Mark grabbed his arm firmly.

“What then?”

“Can you honestly tell me you don’t love Youngjae anymore?” Mark demanded defiantly.

“What’s going on between you and Jack?” JB asked out of the blue.

“What?!” the elder squinted his eyes at him.

“Answer the question.”

“You always do this! You refuse to be honest with me and suddenly I’m the one to blame when things don’t go your way. First, you insinuated that I wanted to go back to Eric! Now you’re implying there’s something going on between me and Jack! For fuck’s sake! Your tactic is getting old Jaebeom.” Mark threw his hands up in the air, obviously vexed.

“I’ve seen you two laugh together while speaking in Chinese or English, I’ve noticed the way he looks at you, the way he clings to you all the damn time! I’m sure Jinyoung is thinking the same about you two! Jackson doesn’t act like that when he’s around the maknaes. He doesn’t shamelessly grope Jinyoung when they are around other people, he controls himself. But with you, everybody in Kirin High thinks he’s fucking you! Just be honest with me.” JB’s look was challenging.

“Jaebeom this is ridiculous. He’s probably trying to make Jin jealous.” Mark suggested, not ready to tell his stepbrother what really happened at the backroom of a certain gay bar and then at a steamy hotel room.

“Jackson doesn’t have to go to great lengths to make my brother jealous, Jinyoung is already the jealous type.” JB shot back.

“It seems he’s not the only one!” Mark pointed out harshly, but then tried to regain his composure. “Look, just tell me you don’t love Youngjae anymore and I’ll tell you about me and Jackson.”

“So there is indeed something going on.” JB looked petrified.

“Yes, maybe. I don’t know.” Mark looked disconcerted. He couldn’t stop wondering what JB would think of him if he found out about the threesome that happened a couple of days ago.

“Mark, he’s promiscuous and I wouldn’t let him hook up with my brother if Jinyoung weren’t so addicted to the guy.”

“So you allow your twin to sleep with him but your stepbrother isn’t allowed to have some fun?” Mark spat and JB saw red. He grabbed Mark by his shirt and kissed him roughly. The American tried to free himself from his stepbrother’s grasp but Jaebeom ignored his struggles and pushed him to the floor. JB straddled Mark right after falling on top of him.

“What’s with you!? Stop, stop it! Get off me!” Mark yelled at him, but Jaebeom had already tore at the buttons of the shirt. His hands roamed around the American’s chest and his teeth sunk into his neck. Mark tried to push him away, but the younger put the whole weight of his body on him.

“Isn’t that what you want?! Didn’t you desperately want me to fuck you before!?” JB released the bruised skin of the other’s neck, and held both Mark’s hands above his head in order to stop his struggles.

“Not anymore.” The American said firmly, avoiding a kiss from JB.

“Why?!” he gritted his teeth, as he waited for the American’s answer.

“Because Jackson has already fucked me real good.” Mark retorted, as he kicked his stepbrother’s genitals and got up from the floor.

The others were still at the cafeteria when a disheveled Mark returned there without the buttons of his shirt.

“What the heck happened to you, hyung?” Bambam was the first to lay eyes on him.

“I’m going home. I can’t stay here any longer.” Mark informed them quickly, as he bit his lower lip.

“Who did this?” a worried Jackson stood up to have a better look at Mark and when he saw the bruise on his neck he felt like punching someone. “Where is he?!”

“It’s not important. I dealt with him already. Please take me home.” Mark begged, as he ran a trembling hand through his hair.

“Did JB do this?” Jinyoung looked scandalized.

“Why would Jaebeom hyung do such a thing?” Yugyeom asked, but the moment the oldest Lim walked into the cafeteria screaming Mark’s name, they didn’t need an answer for that question.

“Don’t run away from me, hyung! Explain to me again why would you do something as stupid as fucking Jackson Wang!” JB sounded menacing, but as soon as he was about to touch Mark’s shoulder to make the older face him, Jackson punched him in the face. JB punched him back and they started rolling on the floor throwing punches at each other. Students started gathering around them and neither Bambam, Mark, Yugyeom or Jinyoung had success in breaking up the fight between the two enraged teenagers. Some kids of the fencing club clapped hands, and encouraged Jackson to throw more punches, while others just filmed them with their phones. The confusion only ceased and the fight came to an end, when the principal of the school himself and two other teachers walked into the cafeteria. Mark, Jaebeom and Jackson were taken to the principal’s room. When the trio entered Lim Taek-geun’s office, Dorine was also there. The American felt like puking when he saw his mom in the room. They haven’t been really talking to each other after that uncanny dinner they had with a drunk Lim Taek-geun. He wondered what they would have to say to each other now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Youngjae will be joining the gang soon, folks!^^ Just wait a bit. Mokpo is a bit distant.:)


	12. U got me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Lims are all together again...

“Son, I hope you can tell me your version of the story. Some kids say you started the fight.” Mr. Lim sighed in concern as he eyed JB. “You already had an altercation with some members of the soccer team not long ago. I wish you could tell me what’s going on with you. Jackson here used to be your friend for quite some time, and now you’re throwing punches at him too. This recently behavior of yours is quite disturbing. Suddenly you and Jinyoung seemed to have switched places.”

“Dad, it’s complicated.” Jaebeom didn’t know how to explain himself. He was ashamed by what happened in the music room, but he didn’t regret punching Jackson. He didn’t think Mark’s first time should’ve happened with Wang. He considered Jackson a player, and also too immature to maintain a serious romantic relationship with anyone. Mark didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would be with someone without actually ‘being’ with someone. JB was given the impression that the American was looking for something solid, a real committed long-term relationship, like the one he had with Eric in L.A. The Korean imagined that Jackson was incapable of being faithful to Mark, let alone properly date him.

“I started the fight, sir. But your son was obviously asking for it! Have you seen Mark’s state?” Jackson still sounded pretty mad. He had no idea why JB attacked Mark, and he wished he could’ve gotten some answers from him before they entered the principal’s room.

“JB didn’t start the fight. Jackson punched him first, because he thought JB meant to hurt me.” Mark chimed in. He thought that a made up story would be much better than the truth.

“Why would Jaebeom want to hurt you?” Dorine looked alarmed, as she furrowed her brows.

“Because he found out I’m sleeping with his brother’s boyfriend.” Mark said quickly. Jackson eyed him in surprise, but JB only looked down.

“My son Jinyoung has a boyfriend? Are you sure of that?” the principal asked, eyes wide. Surprise etched on his face. He was aware of Jaebeom’s sexual orientation, but he had little knowledge about his rebellious son’s love life.

“Yes. Jackson Wang here is Jinyoung’s boyfriend. I told JB that Jackson and I hooked up, and he went ballistic, because he thought I meant to steal his brother’s lover. Things got a bit physical, so I kicked his balls and ran to the cafeteria. Jackson tried to defend me when JB came after me, and they fought. End of the story.” The American didn’t give anyone a chance to actually explain themselves. Jackson was too taken aback because Mark had just outed Jinyoung to his father, and Jaebeom was too conscience-stricken to even deny his stepbrother’s version of the events.

“Mark, what about Eric? You have a boyfriend already! Why are you sleeping with another kid? And why this kid has to be your stepbrother’s boyfriend?! What the hell is wrong with you? Have you lost all your sense of dignity?!” Dorine sounded more than disappointed, she was outraged.

“Well, it just turns out I’m a home wrecker just like you, Dorine. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the three.” Mark didn’t mean to say that. He knew his mother wasn’t to blame for the divorce of Jaebeom’s parents. But Mark was angry now, and he needed to vent his anger on someone, anyone.

The slap he received bruised his cheek. Dorine regretted hitting her son as soon as her hand landed on his face, but the American wouldn’t listen to her apologies even if she tried to apologize. On the other hand, Taek-geun was horrified by Mark’s behavior towards his mother, so he decided to suspend the three boys. He also told Jaebeom to return home immediately. He thought the kid’s grandfather was having a bad influence on him, just as he imagined it had happened previously with Jinyoung.

As soon as Jackson and Jaebeom left the principal’s office, they looked ready to resume their sparring match, but Jinyoung pulled Jackson to a corner while Yugyeom and Bambam pulled JB to another. Got3 soon found out that both boys were suspended for a week, as well as Mark, for different reasons. The latter remained in the principal’s office, since his mother wanted to talk to him alone. Fearing that his brother and Jackson could end up fighting again, Jinyoung decided to skip the rest of his classes to accompany the Hongkonger home.

As they left the school, the foreigner told Jinyoung what happened in the principal’s room. Jackson informed the Korean about his twin’s return to the Lims’ residence, and also about the slap Mark received from his mother. Jinyoung’s heart was in his mouth. He couldn’t stop thinking about what could happen between Jaebeom and Mark now that they would be under the same roof once again. He had to keep those two apart, at least until Youngjae returned to Seoul. To the Hongkonger’s bewilderment, Jinyoung told him he’d leave his grandfather’s mansion too, and finally return to his father’s house.

When JB got home, he tried to concentrate on his homework, but he was still too upset by what had happened at school. He never meant to hurt Mark, nor make a scene in the cafeteria. He wondered what came over him to act like that. He was neither the jealous, nor the violent type, yet, he couldn’t control his wrath when he learned that Jackson was the one who took Mark’s virginity. That simple thought made his skin crawl. He wasn’t mad at his stepbrother. He knew Mark was tired of being rejected by him, and JB quickly assumed that Jackson had taken advantage of the American’s vulnerability. While he tried to collect his thoughts, he sat on his bed, put some music on, and told himself that as soon as Mark returned from school, he’d find a way to properly apologize for his behavior that morning. He wouldn’t give up on the elder yet, he believed he could still fix things between them. Then, he opened his notebook, and decided to put his feelings on the paper as a way to relieve his disquieted mind. Hours passed, and he was still unable to write anything concrete. Suddenly, he heard a whistle that distracted him from his frustration. That was a sound he hadn’t heard for a while.

"Jin?" Jaebeom immediately lifted up his eyes from the paper, and was startled to see his twin leaning on the door of his bedroom. It was a familiar scene that one. His brother there, with his arms folded across his chest, simply watching him. JB wondered if he was seeing things for a moment.

"What? You said yourself that I should come back home, right? Why do you look so surprised?" Jinyoung shrugged, as he entered the room and sat on the bed across from JB's.

"I didn't think you would take it serious this time." Jaebeom still eyed him astonished.

"Who else is gonna keep an eye on you and our dear stepbrother?" he raised an eyebrow at him.

"That's why you came back?" JB squinted his eyes at him.

“Even though I tried to keep you two away from each other at school, I knew you would find a way to get his attention again.” Jinyoung replied, sounding judgmental.

“So you know what has been going on. Good, I didn’t intend to hide it from you anyway.” JB put his notebook aside and waited for Jinyoung’s response.

"What the fuck was that this morning? Were you trying to rape him or something?" Jinyoung demanded, giving him a reproving look. Deep down he wished he could slap his brother a few times, but Jackson had already taught him a lesson, so Jinyoung kept his feelings in check.

"As if he would let me! Mark is not that helpless, okay? Plus, I guess I was just trying to prove a point." Jaebeom said in his defense.

"By ruining his school uniform? And biting his fucking neck? What exactly you were trying to prove, brother?" Jinyoung struggled not to raise his voice. He hated to see Mark in that state, he abhorred that bruise on his neck. That long, seductive neck he ached to touch again.

"Look, you wouldn't understand, okay?" JB sighed in frustration, averting his eyes from the other.

"What I understand is that you haven’t pondered the consequences of your acts. Why the heck are you pursuing him? I mean, how do you think this incestuous-like fling is gonna work?” Jinyoung raised his eyebrows at him. “This kid is clearly not good for you. Because of him, Jackson could've hurt you pretty bad today. You're lucky he went easy on you." Jinyoung gritted his teeth, striving to control his temper.

"Oh, right! Next time I see him remind me to properly thank him for not breaking my fucking arm, dear brother." JB said in a mocking tone.

"Seriously, what do you see in the American? He’s the son of our father’s mistress, remember? He's cute, but he's not worth all the trouble, okay? It’s already the second fight you start because of him. Wake up!" Jinyoung wanted to tell his twin to keep his hands away from Mark, yet, he would have to explain why he was demanding that from him, and Jinyoung certainly wasn’t ready to answer that. He wasn’t happy with the way Mark and Jackson kept flirting with each other. He wasn’t happy with JB’s infatuation with the elder either. He just wished his stepbrother wasn’t so desirable. All the time he felt like he had to control himself when he was around him. He longed to be the only one allowed to touch the American in every single way.

"Like I said, you wouldn't understand." The other replied without much energy for that argument.

"I'm with Jackson for quite a while and I'm not that jealous. What's up with you? Have you forgotten Choi Youngjae already?" Jinyoung insisted, as he wondered if bringing Youngjae back would really fix his brother’s behavior.

"Don’t you dare bring him up!” JB hissed, giving him a warning look. “I'm trying to move on, you know? Mark is the first guy who makes me believe than I can truly forget Jae."

“Perhaps you don’t have to forget Jae. Go after him, goddammit! If you think I’m gonna give you my blessing and let you and Mark become a couple- ”

“You and mother did all you could to separate Youngjae and I, and now you want me to go after him because she’s already dead!? Or is it because I’m starting to like someone else?! It seems to me that making me miserable has become the main purpose of your life, brother.” JB accused him with a contemptuous smile on his lips.

“Jae only left because he knew about mom’s condition. He just couldn’t be with you and keep mother’s secret at the same time.” Jinyoung said at once, as he got up, and approached his bed. Jaebeom was shocked, yet, he soon recovered from the news.

“Look at that! It seems the whole Seoul knew about mother’s cancer, and I, her own son, was left in the dark. Thanks for letting me know that, Jin.” He commented, eyeing his brother in disbelief. “One more reason to stay away from him. If he really cared about me he would tell me that my fucking mother was dying!”

“I didn’t tell you anything either. So what?” He reasoned.

“You tried, in your own insane way, you tried. You begged me to come home without saying a word about her condition. Your silence was deafening. All the time you denied me the truth, you were just trying to respect her wishes.” Jaebeom said, as he stared deep into his twin’s eyes. Jinyoung wondered how his brother could read him so well. JB could’ve chosen to be mad at him for not telling him about Jiyeong’s cancer before it was too late, but instead, his brother simply understood his reasons, and forgave him. He was grateful for that.

"Anyways, what you’re trying to do is stupid. You can't use a guy to forget the other. It's not fair on him." Jinyoung said in a softer tone, as he sat on the edge of his bed.

"Look who's talking! You use Jackson to forget most of your problems." Jaebeom inhaled. He felt a bitter taste on his tongue when he spoke the Hongkonger’s name. Jinyoung didn’t like the way his brother talked about the foreigner. Jackson was a great support for Jinyoung while he dealt with his mother’s sickness. He filled an empty space that JB had temporarily left in his heart. He stuck with him through thick and thin.

"You don't know the first thing about Jackson and I." Jinyoung said, but he really wanted to include Mark’s name in that sentence, just to make his brother give up on the American. JB was unaware of a lot of things regarding their stepbrother. Jinyoung wanted to rub in his face that he was the first to find out that Mark was a perfect bottom and a marvelous top. He wanted to scream at JB how Jackson and him found out that Mark had a fetish for dirty talk in Mandarin. He yearned to reveal how the elder loved to ride dicks, and how his earlobe and neck were some of his most sensitive areas during sex. But he held his tongue. His brother didn’t need to know that, at least not now. Jinyoung wanted to believe that as soon as Choi Youngjae returned, Jaebeom would go back to him. It was only a matter of time.

"I know he's like your fuck boy. Can you even say that you two have a relationship? I mean, if you were really serious about Wang, you would keep him from fucking around, and maybe, now he wouldn't be after Mark." JB ran a nervous hand through his hair and huffed.

"Oh, now it's my fault that they slept together?" Jinyoung feigned offense. "The boy was dying to get fucked for Christ sakes! We both know you wouldn’t have the balls to do it. It could've been any guy! Jackson just happened to be available at the time." Jinyoung raised his voice now. He felt tempted to say that he was the one who fucked Mark first, but he couldn’t predict the outcome of that revelation.

"How long has this been going on? You clearly know all about it."

"Not long. It happened only once anyways. Does it really matter?” Jinyoung rolled his eyes at him. His brother sighed defeatedly.

“It matters to me.” He whispered.

“Well, get over it.” Jinyoung exhaled as he stood up. “By the way, he’s sleeping in my bedroom, right? I saw some of his stuff there. We gotta take this spare bed out of here. Unless you want me and stepbrother to share the same bed there.” Jinyoung winked at his oblivious brother playfully. The latter grunted.

“He can stay with me.” JB suggested, but he was aware that Mark himself would be against that idea.

“The fuck he will. After you attempted to violate him this morning, I don’t see this happening.” The younger Lim said in a sarcastic tone. “Now help me put his damn bed in the other room.” Jinyoung demanded, and although JB wanted to protest, he knew his twin was doing the right thing. Therefore, he got up from the bed too, and helped Jinyoung move the bed out of his room.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Mark only returned to the house later, followed by Taek-geun and Dorine. When he trio entered the house, they were completely astounded by the scene they witnessed. The twins were simply in the middle of the living room following the choreography of some random k-pop group that was performing on the TV before them. The pair looked happy together and their movements were quite accurate. Mark couldn’t help but smile at the scene. He finally had a glimpse of JJ Project in action, and in his opinion, they were truly amazing. He was suddenly eager to listen to their singing, he wondered if their live performance would sound as good as the recorded songs Jaebeom kept listening in his bedroom. When the song came to an end, Mr. Lim applauded the two boys, and only in that moment, the brothers noticed the presence of their audience.

“That takes me back.” The man smiled widely as he approached the two teenagers. “I can’t believe my own eyes! I’m glad to see you home, son.” He ignored the coldness of Jinyoung’s stare, and enveloped him in a strong hug. The teenager didn’t reciprocated the gesture. The change was sudden. The smiling and enthusiastic boy of minutes ago was gone. That bright Jinyoung only manifested while he was unaware of their presence. Yet, as soon as he laid eyes on the trio, he became stoically dispassionate. He stood there frozen in the middle of the living room, even when his father gently ruffled his hair and eyed him with affection. Mr. Lim was obviously overjoyed.

“Thank you for being here, with us.” He whispered to Jinyoung, and then he turned to JB and kissed his forehead. “Welcome back.”

Mark’s eyes were glued to the image of the twins and their father. He felt like crying. He wished he still had a father and a brother. He wondered how Jinyoung was able to stay away from them for so long. A nostalgic feeling came over him as his eyes met his mother’s. She saw how her son beheld the scene before them. Dorine understood why he got slightly dewy-eyed at that moment. She felt bad for him, and also for herself. She had to tear her eyes away from Mark before she broke into tears. She had to be strong for both of them. Therefore, she took a deep breath, and addressed the unfriendly teenager beside Taek-geun.

“That’s a nice surprise.” Dorine commented, smiling at the youngest Lim. On the other hand, the boy simply glared at her. She was obviously aware that Jinyoung disliked her, so she just dismissed his disdainful sneer.

On the other hand, Jaebeom eyed a dejected Mark on the corner of the living room. He had a new shirt, the bit on his neck was hidden, but one of his cheeks was a bit red. He wondered if that was the result of his mother’s slap. That certainly wasn’t one of Mark’s best days. When the elder felt the burn of his gaze on him, he met his eyes briefly. A clenching pain in Jaebeom’s heart made him quickly avert his gaze from the American. It was easier to focus on his father and brother, but the tension in the air couldn’t be ignored. Jaebeom couldn’t bear to see the way Jinyoung’s rude silence antagonized Dorine’s indifference, and increased Taek-geun’s internal conflict. Therefore, he decided to lighten up the mood.

“Since you guys are finally back, why don’t we go out to celebrate Jin’s return? We could have lunch at his favorite restaurant. What do you say, dad? Dorine?” The teenager’s idea was welcomed by all. Mr. Lim and his sons got into a car, while Dorine and Mark got into another. During the ride, Dorine tried to apologize again for slapping the American, but her unresponsive son just seemed indifferent to her words. On the other hand, Teak-geun tried to make conversation with his stony-hearted prodigal son, but Jinyoung also kept to himself and didn’t talk much, except when his brother asked him a question. By the time they all arrived at the restaurant, sat at a table and ordered their food, Jinyoung became more talkative.

“I heard you were at the funeral. Suddenly felt guilty, stepmother?” the youngest Lim started, eyeing the woman with absolute disrelish.

“My conscience is clear, young man.” She said simply. Mark sighed, but kept quiet. His mother had warned him not to confront his stepbrother once he decided to attack. It wasn’t the first time Dorine had to deal with the boy’s untamable behavior, he was often called to the counselor’s room at Kirin High and she already had a taste of his bitterness towards her. She completely understood why he felt that way, though.

“How’s your grandfather doing, son?” his father abruptly tried to change the topic.

“It’s not like you care. You hate the old man as much as he hates you.” Jinyoung said shortly. Mr. Lim tried not to look offended by his straightforwardness.

“What motivated you to return home? I’m curious.” Mr. Lim inquired, clearly aware of his son’s unwillingness to forgive and forget. The kid didn’t know about J.Y. Park’s schemes and his father thought that it would be better to leave things that way.

“Mark Tuan Yi-en.” Jinyoung said casually. Dorine looked genuinely puzzled now. The American swallowed hard. He wondered what his stepbrother was trying to do. Jaebeom cleared his throat and managed to salvage the situation one more time.

“Oh, yeah. Dad, did you know that Jin is helping Mark with his Korean? They’ve gotten pretty close these days.” A disconcerted JB chimed in. He thought he knew about his brother’s reasons, and he was sure his brother would disclose that information just to spite his father. Jinyoung himself had said he was there to keep him from dating Mark and JB suddenly felt too exposed. Dorine and Mr. Lim looked surprised to hear that.

“I had no idea! That’s quite unexpected. I’m glad you two are getting along. I mean, it took some time for Mark to warm up to you Jaebeom. I would never guess that these two had become friends. That’s amazing.” Mr. Lim smiled widely. Dorine frowned at that information.

“Our stepbrother is a good influence on Jin. He’s not skipping classes as often as he used to. He might become class president again. Who knows? Mark seems to bring out the best in my little brother.” JB exaggerated a bit, seeking to keep a peaceful environment at the table.

“Well, I slept with his boyfriend, so I’m not sure if our friendship is really that solid.” A bitter Mark quickly reminded Mr. Lim of what took place in that morning at Kirin High. The American’s pained eyes searched JB’s, but the latter only looked away.

“Nonsense, Mark. I’m already sharing my father with you since you don’t have one. You can have Jackson anytime you want. I’m quite the charitable type, stepbrother.” Jinyoung regretted those words as soon as they left his mouth, but there was nothing he could do to take them back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the prodigal son returns...^_~


	13. Don't care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A family meal and a mess!!XP

Jinyoung hated to be around the woman he believed that was the cause of his parents’ divorce. He didn’t think before he lashed out. Mark’s expression was heart wrenching, and for some reason, Jinyoung didn’t like to see him looking so miserable. It wouldn’t be easy to control his anger towards his stepmother, especially now that his mother was dead. He wished he was more careful with his words for Mark’s sake, but his temper got the best of him. He thought about some way to apologize, but Dorine reacted before he could rephrase his words. She stood up from the table, leaned over him and regarded the young man with austerity.

“No more talk about the dead at this table, young man. I understand what you’re going through, but if you need some counseling I’m always available at your school. Anger is one of the most common stages of grief after you face the loss of someone dear to you. It takes time to reach the stage of acceptance. The process is different for everyone. It’s easier to be angry than to admit that you’re sad, that you’re hurting, right? You don’t want to be pitied, you don’t want to look desperately vulnerable, yet, you feel these churning emotions tear your soul to pieces, and you can’t bear the unfairness of it all. You wear this flaming armor of unspeakable wrath to hide the rawness of your wounds. You are helplessly postponing and deflecting pain. I never had a chance to tell you this, but I’m very sorry for your loss, Jinyoung. I hope you are able to overcome this stage at some point. Jiyeong Park wouldn’t want to see you like this. And because of her, I offer you my support. Since you’re back at the Lim’s residence, we can work through-”

Dorine was cut off before she could finish her sentence.

“Oh, is that so?! Are you the one who’s gonna make me feel better? What if I’m not interested in your counseling shit, stepmother? Are you going to psychoanalyze me against my will? Or you’ll hit me like you hit your own son?! I’m dying to see you try.” Jinyoung yelled at the woman, and suddenly the whole restaurant was staring at their table.

“This is not gonna work. I think we should all go home.” Jaebeom sounded distressed as his eyes dropped to the floor.

“No. We are staying. And Jinyoung will politely apologize to Dorine and her son right now.” Mr. Lim took a deep breath and continued sternly. “Actually, I wanna hear both my sons apologize to Mark. Jaebeom, your behavior this morning appalled me, but what saddens me even more is the fact that I haven’t seen you apologize to your stepbrother since we arrived. I won’t admit this kind of behavior anymore, be it at our house or at Kirin High.” Mr. Lim said in a firm voice as he stared hard at both of his sons. Dorine sat on her seat again and struggled to regain her composure.

“Mark, I’m terrible ashamed and sorry for what I did, and I promise I’ll make it up to you. Please accept my sincere apologies, hyung.” Jaebeom said, as he finally looked directly into the American’s eyes. There was sincerity in his words and Mark could tell he meant what he said.

“It’s okay.” Mark gave him a tiny smile. “I apologize for kicking you in the balls too. I also promise to make it up to you whenever you are ready, my hotheaded dongaseng.” The American winked at a blushing JB, who couldn’t help but grin at his response. He felt relieved to see that Mark wasn’t as mad at him as he thought. He wondered if he really meant what he said. Their parents didn’t understand the real meaning behind the American’s words, but Jinyoung almost lost his composure when he heard them.

“Mark Tuan-Yien, watch your language.” Dorine warned. Both Mark and Jaebeom giggled. Jinyoung fumed. He couldn’t believe what he was witnessing at that table. Therefore, he drastically changed his strategy.

“Forgive me, dear stepbrother, I shall redeem myself. I promise to give you a _hand_ with your homework tonight.” He said casually, as he brought one of his hands to Mark’s thigh and started caressing him under the table. The American immediately took his eyes from JB and furrowed his brows at the younger.

“That won’t be necessary. I can do it by myself.” The American asserted, trying to keep Jinyoung’s hand from crawling between his legs. He squirmed a bit, struggling not to draw the attention of the others at the table. However, Jinyoung just smirked at him, and shamelessly moved his hand to massage his crotch. Mark flushed furiously when his stepbrother’s fingers dangerously brushed against his dick.

“Jinyoung, you still have to apologize to Dorine.” Mr. Lim reminded his son, but Mark could barely pay attention to the conversation going on at the table now, because he decided to stop fighting Jinyoung’s motions under the table. He blamed the Korean’s magnetic eyes, those black orbs that rendered him powerless. His stepbrother stared at him with such an intensity that he wasn’t able to look away, he didn’t dare to. The American couldn’t help but let a moan escape his lips when Jinyoung started stroking him harder.

“Mark, are you okay?” Dorine asked a bit worried.

“I think I need to go to the toilet.” He admitted, running a hand through his hair and biting his lower lip. He felt Jinyoung’s hands tease the zipper of his pants and he had to close his eyes tightly to contain his urge to further rub himself against those fingers.

“Want me to accompany you?” JB offered, also wondering what could be wrong with him.

“No! I’ll do it.” Jinyoung protested, and grabbed Mark by the arm possessively. JB frowned at that.

“You’ll help your stepbrother after you apologize.” Mr. Lim insisted. The youngster finally took his eyes from Mark, and eyed the woman with a disgusted expression on his face.

“I’m very sorry, stepmother. Now, if you excuse me, I’m gonna give hyung a hand.” Jinyoung said quickly as he led his aroused stepbrother to the toilet.

As soon as they entered the toilet, Jinyoung checked if they were the only ones in there at that moment.

“Are you crazy!? Were you trying to give me a hand job in front of our parents, really?! What’s wrong with you Lims? My mother had to find me a new shirt this morning because your freakin’ brother ruined the other one, now you pull this kind of stunt!!” Mark protested weakly. He hoped no one notice the bulge in his pants when they left the table. Thankfully, Jinyoung was kind enough to walk in front of him and hide his obvious hard on.

“Stop talking about JB! How dare you flirt with him at the table?! Hear me out, you’re not gonna make it up to him, unless you want me to cut off his balls. Just forget him! Youngjae is coming tomorrow, remember?! You don’t stand a fucking chance!” The Korean demanded, as he finished checking all the toilet stalls.

“Fuck him! Fuck you!” Mark retorted, as he walked into one of the empty stalls to take care of his problem. However, before Mark could close its door, Jinyoung was faster and got inside the stall with him. The American was soon shoved against the wall.

“What is it now, huh? Are you upset because of what I said at the table? I won’t let that bitch slap you anymore and get away with it.” The younger declared, as he put both his hands on the American’s chest in order to keep him from running away. He cornered Mark with his commanding voice.

“Don’t call her that! And keep your filthy hands away from me!” Mark barked. He was genuinely upset by the way Jinyoung treated his mother. He knew he should push him away, but his arms wouldn’t move. His glare was his only sign of resistance, as he observed the tantalizing way Jinyoung invaded his personal space. The younger moved like a predator surrounding his prey. He gently rubbed his cheek against Mark’s and sniffed him. The elder made an uncomfortable noise that made his stepbrother lock eyes with him again.

“Hey, relax. Are you gonna tell me you didn’t enjoy my caresses?!” Jinyoung hissed, as he breathed very close to Mark’s face. The latter was losing himself in his hypnotic eyes again. Drunk on the Korean’s proximity, he leaned a bit closer to Jinyoung and tried to capture his lips, but the younger refused him. His stepbrother then kneeled before him, unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Mark already anticipated what was about to come. As soon as his boxers and pants were down, a dominative Jinyoung started licking his shaft and ordered him not to move. He was so painfully hard that he couldn’t refuse the favor.

“You got me Jinyoungie, I’m not going anywhere, okay?” A wobbly American whispered, as he passively let Jinyoung do whatever he wanted to him. He struggled to voice his concerns. “But if we don’t close the door, somebody might see us.” He eyed the toilet door with apprehension.

“Keep an eye on the mirror over the sink then, babe. You can be our lookout and watch me suck your cock at the same time. It’s a win-win situation.” Jinyoung said lasciviously before he gently sucked on his tip. Mark lifted his head and eyed the huge mirror across from them. Since the door of the stall was open, he was indeed able to see whoever was about to enter the toilet and also watch Jinyoung fellate him. Yet, he couldn’t help but tear his eyes away from their reflection and fix his gaze directly on the boy pleasuring him. The younger’s mouth was warm and delicate. He never broke their eye contact when he took Mark’s cock into his mouth or when he massaged his balls. He increased and decreased the pace of his movements, just to tease the older. Jinyoung switched between sucking, swirling his tongue around his head and flicking it lightly. Mark was already a moaning mess when Jinyoung instructed Mark to grab him by the hair and thrust hard into his willing mouth. Mark was already about to cum when he obediently grabbed Jinyoung’s head and roughly fucked his mouth. Drops of his semen escaped from the corner of the younger’s lips while he finished inside his hot cave. Mark rolled his eyes with pleasure. Now he understood what Jackson meant when he told him that Jinyoung’s mouth was like a vacuum cleaner. The American was totally spent. He wasn’t even able to keep an eye on the mirror like the other suggested, his attention was totally fixed on the boy whose mouth slowly abandoned his dick. He let Jinyoung pull his boxers and pants up, zip him, and properly get rid of any vestige that could denounce what they did. When the Korean stood up to face Mark again, he spat at his face. Mark could feel the warmth of his own cum against his skin. He was startled by the other’s actions.

“The fuck did you do that for? Do you want me to return to the table with cum all over me?” The American ran to the sink in order to wash the semen from his face and hair. Jinyoung chuckled, but turned his stepbrother to face him again.

“Come here, babe. I’m just teasing you. I’m not finished yet.” Jinyoung grabbed Mark’s face and slowly licked all the substance from his face. His tongue ran along his cheek, lips, chin, nose, neck, eyelids and then his earlobe. The younger took his time nibbling at it, and then he stopped his movements, just to stare at Mark’s eyes. The trembling American watched him in awe. He wanted to kiss him so badly, but he knew he would be rejected again if he tried to impulsively capture the Korean’s lips. So, he tried asking for permission.

“I really, really would like to kiss you right now. Can I, Nyoungie?” Mark never sounded so submissive. Jinyoung loved that. However, he knew that Mark wasn’t the only one dying to lock lips with him. Jinyoung felt that same urge to kiss his mouth. Seconds later when he had ran his tongue along the American’s face and it brushed against the elder’s lips, he felt like bursting into flames. He had never felt like that with anyone. He had no shield against that kind of feeling, he felt defenseless, weak, imprisoned, totally captivated. He feared giving a name to that feeling.

“If you really want a kiss, you’ll have to work for it, Mark. Stop flirting with my brother and be only mine.” Jinyoung suggested wickedly as he pinched his cheeks. Mark stared at him confused, but the other only winked at him and walked out of the toilet. An unsettled Mark then properly washed his face and bangs, fixed his clothes, and followed his stepbrother to the exit.

When the two teenagers were back at the table, Mark informed that he had a stomachache and that he needed to go home. Jinyoung’s smirk grew larger when he heard Mark’s excuse. He realized that his stepbrother was too embarrassed to keep eating with them and ignore what had just happened. The Korean found that cute. The others just worried about the American’s well-being. The family then agreed to interrupt their meal and return home. Back at the Lims’ residence, Dorine gave her son some meds and told him to lay down a bit. Mark was surprised to see the spare bed in Jinyoung’s room, but neither him, nor Dorine questioned that. He wondered how awkward would be to have Jinyoung as a roommate.

“You are a smart kid. I believe I don’t have to warn you about Jinyoung. If he’s trying to get closer to you, it’s probably because he has an agenda. He’s certainly trying to find ways to target me. Be careful.” Dorine told her son, as she stood at the door of his and Jinyoung’s bedroom. The twins were chatting in JB’s room, so at that moment, Mark had the bedroom all for himself. The American didn’t know how to feel about the fact that his stepbrothers had locked themselves up in Jaebeom’s room and seemed to ignore his very existence.

“I could simply tell him what I know about his grandfather. I’m sure he’ll get off your back once he learns the truth.” Mark suggested wearily as he laid on his bed. He wasn’t really feeling sick, but he knew that if he just stayed in his room and pretended to be indisposed, people would leave him alone. Except for his mother, apparently.

“Taek-geun will tell him when he’s ready to listen.” She sighed deeply. “Just rest a bit and call me if you need me, okay? I really don’t like the idea of you two sharing a room.” She eyed him with concern. “Maybe you should go back to JB’s? You haven’t told me why you moved out of his bedroom. He’s a great kid, and I would feel better knowing that you’re safe in there with him. Do you want me to talk to him?”

“Don’t bother, Mom. I can manage. I always do.” Mark said absentmindedly. His mother looked surprised to hear him utter the word ‘mom’ so naturally.

“I’m really sorry about you and Eric. I didn’t know about the break up.” She sounded sympathetic. “Is the Wang kid treating you well? He has a reputation at school, son. You do know that, right?”

“It’s nothing serious. We’re just friends now.” Mark assured her. Yet, he wasn’t really sure about that either. He wondered if Jackson thought the same. Friendship was a word too frivolous to describe what they had.

“I Hope you know what you’re doing. Since he’s involved with your stepbrother, you shouldn’t let your guard down. I already know Jinyoung is going to do his best to make our lives hell in this house. I don’t want you to give him any other reason to bully you. ” She insisted. The teenager wondered if that’s what Jinyoung was doing to him. That simple possibility made his heart race. It bothered him to no end. Were the magnetic stares, the sex, the teasing, the flirting, the nickname and all the rest just part of some evil plan Jinyoung was concocting to revenge his dead mother? Was Jinyoung that good of an actor? That thought ruined his mood.

“If I were in fucking America now I wouldn’t have to worry about some spoiled kid’s revenge against you. Now if you will excuse me, I’d like to be alone!” Mark exploded, as he turned away from the door.

“Someday you’ll understand why I did it, Mark. One day you’ll realize that there’s absolutely nothing left for us in California, and that there’s no use going back there.” She smiled sadly and continued. “One day, son.” When Mark gave her no response, she just nodded to herself and left the room.

The teenager tried to get some sleep. Yet, he couldn’t. Dorine’s warnings haunted him. The words Jinyoung uttered in the toilet of that restaurant also refused to leave Mark’s mind. He wondered if the Korean was jealous of his twin, or if he was just fucking with him. When it came to that boy, Mark didn’t know what to believe. That kid was really messed up. He had no other word to describe him. Magnetically messed up. If it weren’t for those bewitching dark eyes, Mark wouldn’t allow himself to be passive like that. It was hard to believe that Jinyoung was just playing a role. And what if the Korean wasn’t really joking? Should Mark just give up on Jaebeom? But if he did, would Jinyoung do the same, and give up on Jackson? On the other hand, the Hongkonger also confused him. He wondered if Jackson was really into him. Yet, whenever they were together, he felt free. There was no family drama, he didn’t have to feel guilty for knowing too much about people’s secrets, and thankfully, the Hongkonger had no reason to hate his mom. Jackson never made him feel as conflicted as he was at that moment. Those stepbrothers were too much to handle.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. When he turned around, he saw Jaebeom standing there.

“Can I come in?” he asked timidly. Mark wondered how come Jinyoung allowed them a moment alone. He had monopolized Jaebeom since he arrived.

“Sure.” Mark said, as he sat up on his bed and offered his stepbrother a spot beside him.

“How are you? Is your neck okay? I’m really sorry for your school uniform, for the scene my brother caused at the restaurant... I’m sorry for everything.” JB sounded regretful.

“Don’t worry, I’m all right. By the way, I told you I’ve already forgiven you. Just promise me you won’t fight anyone at school again.” Mark said calmly and his stepbrother nodded to him.

“Jinyoung made me call Jackson to apologize.” He sat down and eyed him tenderly.

“That was wise of him. I don’t wanna cause trouble between you two.”

“How was it? I mean, your first time?” JB sighed heavily as he looked away. “Did he pressure you into doing it? Because if he did anything to-”

“Do I look like the kind of guy who’s easily swayed? Believe me, everything was consensual, if that’s what you’re worrying about. Just don’t ask me to describe it to you, ‘coz it’s embarrassing. But it was okay, it was just sex. Let’s not talk about it anymore.” Mark assured him, trying to play down the huge impact that night had in his life. He didn’t think he would ever be able to forget about Jinyoung and Jackson in that backroom. He would certainly take that image to his grave. What he had experienced afterwards in that hotel room couldn’t be put into words. He was unable to deny that somehow, he had gotten emotionally attached to the pair.

“I told him that if he wasn’t serious about you, he should keep his distance.”

“You shouldn’t have said that. You’re being overprotective, and it sucks. I keep wondering if you’re doing it because you see me as a brother, or as something else. I’m tired of feeling like this.” Mark looked conflicted, but also grateful to have the other at his side.

“I know. That’s why I decided to visit Mokpo this weekend.”

“What?!” and anguished Mark eyed him in disbelief.

“Jinyoung convinced me that I should revisit my past to be able to move on with my future.” Jaebeom said, hoping that Mark would understand his decision.

“You’re going back to Youngjae?!” Mark swallowed hard. He knew what Jinyoung was doing and he felt like telling Jaebeom the reason why Jinyoung was doing it.

“It’s not like that. I have to properly say good-bye to him before I can confidently say that I love you.” JB looked straight into his eyes and reached for his hand. Mark allowed that contact, his heart fluttered. The word love echoed in his ears. He missed listening to it. Eric used to say it to him all the time.

“I’ll wait for you then, and for your answer. Whether it’s a confession, or a farewell, I’ll wait for it.” Mark smiled at him and JB kissed both his cheeks. The elder melted with that contact.

“Thank you for understanding, Bunny. If it wasn’t for you, I’d never have the courage to do this.” JB whispered to him, his face still very close to his. Mark couldn’t resist his tenderness. He leaned to the right and captured his lips. The kiss was sweet, slow and romantic. Jaebeom wrapped his arms around him and brought their bodies closer while his tongue sneaked into Mark’s mouth. The kiss became more intense by each minute. Mark wondered how amazing would be to date a guy like JB who certainly would never open their relationship and reject his kisses.

The deeper he kissed his stepbrother, the more he thought of him and Youngjae together. He suddenly felt insecure, and wondered what he could possibly offer his stepbrother that Youngjae hadn’t given him already. The elder knew that the couple had already slept together, and somehow he didn’t feel like he could compete with that. He hadn’t even gotten past the third base with JB and that made him anxious. Mark thought he had to do something to win more points with the Korean. He was convinced that it would be impossible for JB to choose him since they didn’t even had the chance of getting more intimate. So, the elder decided that he needed to take action. Yet, as soon as Mark’s bold hand landed on JB’s crotch, their lips parted.

“How are your balls doing? Still sore? I promised to make it up to you, remember?” Mark licked his lips seductively while the younger seemed to ponder his question. JB’s ragged breath and lust filled eyes seemed to communicate something, but, before Jaebeom had a chance to answer him, Jinyoung barged into the room.

“Your 15 minutes are up, Beom-ah. Go to your room and take a cold shower, will you?” Jinyoung said sternly. His brother immediately disentangled himself from the American, gave him an apologetic look and walked out of the room, leaving a disappointed Mark and Jinyoung alone.

“Isn’t Choi coming tomorrow? Why are you telling JB to go to Mokpo?” Mark asked, suddenly irritated.

“Jackson texted me. He is still mad at JB because of what he did to you. He’s not happy about the suspension either. He’s just cancelled our kidnapping mission. He doesn’t feel like riding a bus for 5 hours just to make my brother happy. And since he’s not going, Yugyeom and Bambam also cancelled.” He said exasperated, pacing around the room.

“Good. Let JB go by himself, the sooner, the better. Maybe they’re not meant to be after all.” Mark commented bitterly. He really wanted to believe that there was a chance that Youngjae and JB wouldn’t get together again.

“You and JB are the ones who are not meant to be.” Jinyoung said quickly.

“We’ll see about that.” Mark shot back, annoyed by the other’s smug look.

“Just because he was ready to let you suck him off, it doesn’t mean he loves you. You’re just a warm mouth to him.” Jinyoung said harshly as he glared at the American.

“Really? I beg to differ…Considering I’ve never even given him a blowjob. I never even did this for Eric. That night, when I was in that hotel room with you and Jack was the first time I’ve ever sucked a dick. Don’t pretend you don’t know.” Mark looked offended, and Jinyoung’s expression changed.

“How far did you go with my brother, huh? I mean, you guys have been living together for a while, and even sleeping in the same bedroom. Were you really that innocent before that night at the bar?” he asked, with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Jesus Christ! Are you for real? I’ve been meaning to ask you, Nyoungie…Do you happen to be jealous?” Mark asked in a mocking tone.

“Me?! Don’t flatter yourself, Mark.” Jinyoung looked away, as he went to his bed and pretended to be busy on his phone.

“Don’t you feel anything when I’m around JB or Jackson? How about what you told me in that toilet earlier? You told me to stop flirting and be yours, remember?! What’s that supposed to mean?!” Mark demanded, as he got up from his bed and towered over his stepbrother. The American couldn’t understand Jinyoung’s behavior, and that unnerved him.

“It means nothing.” The younger replied, refusing to meet his eyes.

“Oh, so nothing you say has a meaning? Because you also told me I was the best you’ve ever had.” The older sighed in frustration. “I haven’t forgotten that either. It’s been on my mind since that night.” Mark sounded hopeful, and he ached to get a positive response from the younger. The American felt that he could let go of JB if Jinyoung really meant the things he kept saying to him. Though Jinyoung was psychotic bastard, the older would feel glad to hear something really meaningful come out of his mouth. The time they had been spending together at the school library, allowed him a glimpse of the good-natured guy that Mark was never able to properly meet. Everybody talked about an old version of Jinyoung that he would never have an opportunity to hang out with and that simple fact secretly enticed him. Mark felt tempted to change Jinyoung back to that nice guy version he had never laid eyes on. He believed that maybe, his stepbrother could change for him. Mark told himself that Jinyoung just hadn’t met anyone worth changing for yet. The American wanted to be that someone. With all that family drama going on, the elder wished he could be the one to offer the younger some sort of balance in his life. And perhaps, fill him with love.

“You know what? You sound like a chick who just had her first sexual experience and suddenly thinks the guy is in love with her, and when he doesn’t call the next day she gets hysterical! Didn’t you get the memo, pal? Sex is just sex! You’re not a chick, and I’m not in love with you either.” Jinyoung met his eyes this time, and he could see the despondency in them. The Korean could hear his own heart shatter.

“Right. Sorry for thinking that you might actually feel something for someone once in your life. I forgot you’re just not cut out for that.” Mark said in a pained voice. He then turned away, and left the room. When Jinyoung found himself alone, in the company of his regret and stupidity, he let his tears fall quietly, and the American was never able to hear the despair in his sobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonder where is our sunshine...^^


	14. I Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somebody says:  
> Nan niga Joha...  
> Who?  
> You're about to find out!:P

“Hey, do you have time? Can I come in? I really need to talk to someone.” Mark said urgently as soon as Yugyeom opened the door of his house. The Korean eyed him awkwardly, noticing how agitated the older looked. Judging by the American’s expression, the maknae could tell that something serious must’ve happened for him to show up there at that hour. It was already 11PM, and Mark wasn’t the first guest he was receiving that night.

“Sure, hyung. Come in.” Yugyeom nodded at him and accompanied the older to the living room. As soon as Mark entered the house, he noticed the tension around the people gathered in the living room. Bambam looked extremely surprised to see him there, and Jackson, who had his arm wrapped around a stranger, immediately, got up from the sofa and walked to him.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing here? Isn’t a bit late to be out?” he looked a bit disconcerted.

“Am I interrupting something?” Mark glared at the unknown boy on the sofa. He wondered what was his relationship with the Hongkonger, and if Jinyoung knew about that.

“Of course not, hyung. That’s a great opportunity for you to-”

Bambam was cut off before he could finish his sentence.

“You know what? Let’s go upstairs, I really need to talk to you about something very important.” Jackson said hurriedly, as he took Mark’s hand and started leading him to one of the rooms of the house. The American tried to read the situation. There was definitely something off about the Hongkonger.

“Hyung, Mark came to talk to me. He’s just got here, stop crowding my guest, will you?” Yugyeom pointed out. The maknae seemed to be aware of the foreigner’s intention.

“Exactly! Whatever you have to say to Mark you can say it in here, right? We’ll find out sooner or later, anyways. Go ahead, we’re all friends in this living room.” An impatient Bambam turned to Jackson, and then eyed the other boy on the sofa. Mark furrowed his eyebrows. His friends were definitely acting weird and the older didn’t like that.

“Actually, since Jack is here, I’d like to have a word alone with him first if you don’t mind.” Mark cut in, as he wondered what they were hiding from him. He knew he could easily get answers from the Hongkonger. Actually, he felt like demanding some explanation from him. The younger didn’t owe him any, but he felt like he deserved it. Was that kid some of Jackson’s flings? And if that was the case, would he be really ready to hear that? Mark suddenly felt like he had come to the wrong place. The last thing he needed now was to see the only uncomplicated guy he felt attracted to hooking up with someone else. The young man who was silent all that time finally stood up and regarded the elder politely.

“Hi, you’re the famous Mark hyung, the Lims’ stepbrother. I heard a lot about you, only nice things, though. Let me introduce myself-”

“Since not all of us are friends here, Bam, Jack and I will have a private chat upstairs. I don’t know this one, and I don’t feel like getting to know him either.” The American roughly cut the stranger off and turned his back on him to face a stunned Bambam.

The others never witnessed Mark sound so cold. His unapproachable demeanor silenced the kid and the maknaes. He made a gesture with his head in the Hongkonger’s direction. “Let’s go, Jack.” Mark said in a hurry, as he tightened his hold on Jackson’s hand. The latter didn’t take long to bring the American upstairs. As soon as they found themselves alone in a room, the older started speaking.

“Who’s the boy?” he didn’t want to sound too desperate, but he needed to know. He felt a lump in his throat, but he told himself he would not cry.

“Forget the boy, you probably scared him to death already. Look, you need to listen to me.” An uneasy Jackson sat on a chair and took a deep breath.

“Bullshit! Does Jinyoung know him? I mean, you two are sharing this one too, right? Is he the new guy you both plan to fuck and abandon afterwards? He’s a bit too young, don’t you think?!” Mark hissed as his eyes, watered. He turned away from the younger, unable to meet his eyes. On the other hand, Jackson was taken aback by Mark’s outburst.

“No, sweetheart. We’re not fucking that kid. He’s off-limits, believe me.” Jack shook his head at him. “You shouldn’t feel abandoned, neither jealous. For your information, we haven’t replaced you yet.” He said jokingly, unaware of Mark’s struggle not to sob.

“Fuck you!” Mark suddenly yelled. His tears started to fall and his shoulders trembled. The Hongkonger’s smirk was gone. He became genuinely concerned at that moment. He wondered if it was something he had said. So he stood up from his seat, came closer to the elder, turned him around and held his face with both his hands.

“Hey, I was joking! Markie, what happened? Was it JB? Or maybe Jin did something? I know he’s at the house now and all of you are probably having a hard time dealing with him…Just tell me what’s wrong so I can help you.” Jackson truly wanted Mark to know that he could count on him.

“J-JB an-d I.” Mark stuttered pitifully, as he let himself be comforted by Jackson’s warm hands. The Hongkonger looked puzzled for a second, but then, he examined the elder’s reticent expression more closely, and finally realization hit him.

“Oh my God, I knew he wouldn’t react like that just because he was having a bad day. JB would never get in a fight without a real good reason to do so. Are you guys fucking or something?” Jackson’s hands left his cheeks, and Mark suddenly felt cold. He feared his reproach.

“No! We- we just did stuff.” The older bit his lips nervously.

“Oh, really? Like what?” Jackson ran a hand through his hair and sighed in frustration while pacing around the room. He was obviously disturbed by the American’s words.

“We kissed, he also gave me a blowjob once, and we kinda jerked each other off. We never went all the way, though I really wanted to. I almost begged him to.” Mark was embarrassed to say all that, but decided to be honest with him, hoping that the other would reciprocate the gesture.

“Jesus Christ! And I thought that Jin and I were the ones who corrupted you. Were you really that horny?” he raised an eyebrow at the uncomfortable American, and huffed. It was clear for Jackson that Mark and JB’s story had started even before the threesome happened. “Wait, don’t answer that. I’ll go straight to the point, okay? Do you love him?” Jackson’s straightforwardness caught him by surprise. Mark wasn’t expecting that kind of question so soon.

“Look, I was having a really hard time when I came to this country, I did feel like I was going crazy at some point. I was lonely and troubled. I felt victimized by my mother, by my father and brother’s death, and all the time I felt like running away. But JB was patient with me, he listened to what I had to say, he consoled me. He was always there when I needed him, and I felt like if somehow I disappeared, he would be able to find me. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a home to go back to. I knew that someone out there would be looking for me. I mattered to him, I wasn’t just a pathetic excuse for human being who murdered two people in a car accident. He calmed me down while drying my tears. I missed America and Eric wasn’t here to get me drunk at some party and make me forget all my problems. But JB was, and instead of alcohol he offered me a sober presence. Since Eric and I broke up, JB was the first person who made me believe that being in Korea wasn’t such a bad thing. I don’t wanna lose him. He promised to be immortal for me, he said he would stay by my side.” A crying Mark said at once as he bit his lower lip nervously. The Hongkonger’s expression softened. He felt bad for the elder. Jackson hated the fact that he was totally unaware of Mark’s internal turmoil when he arrived in Korea. The American’s quietness never denounced his anguished state of mind, and it was hard to read him sometimes.

“Listen, Markie, I’m really sorry that you were in such a dark place when you got here. Leaving home is never easy, and I can’t even begin to imagine how it feels like to lose a father and brother. I’m glad JB was able to give you some sort of support, but honestly, everything you just said regarding your feelings towards him, sounds like brotherly love to me.” Jackson eyed him with sympathy.

“It’s difficult to think that he only sees me as a brother when my dick has already been in his mouth.” Mark retorted, feeling somewhat offended. Jackson looked irritated for a second.

“JB is not perfect, okay? He is a man, and he has his needs! God knows how long that guy doesn’t get laid! I don’t wanna sound like an asshole, but if I were I his shoes, I’d have a hard fucking time trying to keep my hands off my hot virgin stepbrother too. You guys probably bonded because you were both heartbroken. JB is not the type who gives voice to his demons. He likes to pretend that he’s doing fine all the time. He takes care of others and neglects himself. He suffers in silence so he doesn’t have to worry other people. He also had stuff to deal with after his parents’ divorce. Jinyoung and Jiyeong’s constant pestering, and Youngjae’s departure really took a tool on him. He was devastated when the love of his life left. You have no idea. Even now, I think he’s still trying to digest what happened. When you suddenly showed up, you also happened to be disillusioned, Mark. To be honest, I think you were each other’s self-help group, and sometimes, a nice pastime.” Jackson concluded, unable to see Mark’s attachment to his stepbrother as another kind of love. His words stung, and the American was barely able to argue with him after recognizing a possible truth in them.

“You know JB better than I do, that’s a fact. You’re not the first person who implies that he and Choi Youngjae are not over. I’m not gonna pretend that I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I don’t know what do you want me to say. Maybe we relieved each other’s pain, but I know there is something more to it, it has to be.” Mark declared helplessly. He was too confused, but he was sure that his feelings were real. Unlike some treacherous magnetic eyes, JB’s eyes never lied to him. His gaze was always kind and understanding.

“You know what? Tell me you love him, I’ll just rest my case if you say you do. I mean, you must’ve told that to Eric before. It’s not that hard to do it again, since you think JB is the one for you now.” Jackson challenged him. He crossed his arms and waited for a response.

“JB is amazing. I mean, he’s very considerate of my feelings, he’s nice and handsome and polite-”

“Mark, I get it, he’s indeed boyfriend material, though he sometimes likes to bite a bit too hard.” Jackson made a face, pointed to the bruise on his neck, and continued. “Now I want to know what you really feel for him.”

“I, I think that-”

“I like you, Mark.”

“You what?!” Mark exclaimed, unable to believe what he had just heard. His eyes were big now. The moment a serious Jackson put his hands on his shoulders and stared into his eyes, he froze on the spot.

“Since that night at _Why Not?_ I wasn’t able to get you out of my head. I thought it was just some phase, but it’s not. I tried to play it down, and just pretend you’re a good friend, but that’s not enough for me anymore. I haven’t been asking Jin out, and I guess that’s why he’s so grumpy lately. He’s not stupid, and I think he noticed that something is different between us these days. I was always the one who would often drag him to a party or a dance club, choose other partners for us to share and stuff, but now I don’t want that anymore. I’d rather spend some quiet time with you. I’m willing to give up on Jin, and turn down all the others. I’m aware of my fame, and all the stories you must’ve heard about me through the halls of Kirin High. I’m not gonna lie to you, they’re all true. But I really don’t feel like exploring the field anymore, you know? I feel that you are my special one, and I have never felt something like this before. I don’t feel like following Jin’s rules. Shit, I can’t even believe how cheesy I sound right now!” Jackson shyly smiled to himself and fixed his eyes on the American again. “Mark Tuan Yi-En, your lips are the only ones that I will taste from now on, if you allow me to. I want us to be a proper couple, like real boyfriends. This has never crossed my mind before, and I’m glad you’re the one I fell for. You move me, you light up my days, and you fill my thoughts 24/7. I’m willing to fully commit myself to you, I do mean it.” Jackson said in a hurry, trying hard to get his message across. The Hongkonger’s wholehearted speech was delivered with urgency. Mark was stupefied. That was one of the rarest moments that Jackson seemed to lack his usual incomparable self-confidence. He looked jittery and unguarded.

“Wow.” Mark whispered, incapable of saying anything else. He couldn’t move, he just stared at the Hongkonger. Right there in front of him, an Adonis, who also happened to be an openly declared player, was confessing to him. In the American’s opinion, every truly romantic story should be delivered in a pack of sacrifice. And the way Jackson claimed that he would abandon his old ways to only have him, made his heart flutter. It sounded unreal, but he said everything that Mark expected that someone would say to him one day. It was like Jackson had unexpectedly offered to make his silly dream come true. The younger was willing to change his own nature, promising to go out of his way in order to make him happy. The American just wondered why he himself wasn’t as satisfied as he hoped he would be.

“I promised JB I’d wait for his answer. I mean, he’s going to Mokpo in order to make up his mind. When he comes back, I’ll accept whatever he has to say to me.” Mark said, still with his eyes glued on the Hongkonger.

“Fair enough. Then I’ll be the one waiting for your decision afterwards. I know it’s a lot to take in, and I’m sure you’ll need some time to digest what I just told you. But I promise to be patient, Markiepoo. I’m sure we can work this out. If you want someone immortal in your life, you’ve just found that person. I’ll make you forget whatever you think you feel for Lim Jaebeom in a week.” Jackson beamed at him and kissed both his hands.

“Okay then. I’ll think about it. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” An uncertain Mark said in a low voice.

“By the way, there’s something you should know…You won’t have to wait long for your stepbrother’s decision. Jaebeom doesn’t have to leave for Mokpo either. Let’s go downstairs, sweetheart. I’m gonna properly introduce you to Choi Youngjae.” The Hongkonger announced quickly. Mark’s heart skipped a beat, or maybe three.

“That boy in the living room is who?” the American roughly wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt, obviously thunderstruck by the younger’s revelation.

“He looks plain, right? But don’t get the wrong idea, he’s a charmer. Wait till you hear him laughing or singing. He’s extremely talented that one, JYP himself complimented him after he heard him play the piano.” Jackson commented, obviously proud of his young friend.

“Are you fucking with me?!” Mark blinked a few times, unable to believe the other.

“No, I’m not.” Jackson asserted.

“Are you telling me that Choi Fucking Youngjae is that kid downstairs, whom I rudely glared and ignored since I laid eyes on him?!” the older felt the sting of a splitting headache when he realized that Jackson wasn’t making that up.

“You thought we were together, right? Silly boy! Well, he’s not really my type. But he’s a great friend, A.K.A, Got6’s sunshine. Maybe we should call ourselves Got7 now, since you’re here too.” Jackson added, suddenly sounding carefree and untroubled as always.

“I’ll never gonna be his friend. What makes you think that I’ll hang out with you guys now that he’s here? By the way, Got7 is a ridiculous name. Why the hell do you have to give a name to a group of friends?” The American took a deep breath, and tried to control the anxiety building up inside him.

“Because it’s fun, and someday, when we join JYPE and become a very successful boy band, we’ll call ourselves Got7. No one will think it’s a foolish name, 7 is a lucky number, trust me on this.” Jackson gave him his best Squirtle smile and continued. “Come on, it’s impossible not to like Jae. He’s harmlessly cute and adorable like an otter.” Jackson grabbed his hand and led him to the door, but Mark grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the room.

“An otter, seriously?” The older eyed him quizzically. Mark wasn’t really curious about the origin of Youngjae’s nickname, he just wanted to postpone that inevitable meeting and stay in that room till Jaebeom’s ex disappeared from that house.

“Although JB stole his innocence, he remains too pure for this world. Soon you’ll also feel like protecting him as if he is part of a species in danger of extinction. Believe me.” Jackson interjected, as he waited for Mark to follow him to the staircase.

“Don’t you have anything to take the edge off?” Mark sighed anxiously.

“Excuse me, are we talking about drugs here?!” the Hongkonger frowned, flabbergasted.

“Come on, don’t pretend you don’t have it.” Mark raised an eyebrow at him.

“Do I look like a drug dealer to you?” The younger made a face, feigning innocence.

“No, but it looks like you buy from them a lot.” The American whined, his eyes were pleading. “Please.”

“Are you serious? Do you need to take a pill to meet Jae the ottter?” Jackson eyed him in disbelief.

“I’m about to meet the guy who’s gonna take JB from me, so yeah, unless you want me to deck the kid, you’d better give me something, anything.” Mark didn’t sound like he was joking. Jackson was about to answer him when someone showed up at the door.

“What are you two doing here? Seriously, you’re not trying to fuck him in here, right? I mean, Jinyoung hyung finds out you’re using Yugyeom’s house to cheat on him, all hell will break loose. He’ll probably set fire to the whole place with all of us inside.” Bambam’s tone was reproving as he shot an annoyed look in the Hongkonger’s direction.

“He’s not going to do such a thing, because I have rule 77 in my favor.” The Hongkonger smirked.

“And what’s that?!” Mark sounded curious. He wondered if someday he would have a chance to be introduced to all the rules that reigned over JinSon/JackJin’s open relationship.

“It’s a rule that Jin himself created. I thought it was pretty useless when he insisted to put it on the paper. Honestly, I never thought I would be the one to use it first. But it says that once one of us finds a person that we are not ready to share, or that we feel like this person is worthy of our exclusivity, the other partner should accept the end of the open relationship and keep his distance. To sum it up, it means that once Jin or I start developing stronger feelings for an individual, we should be understanding and let the other have a closed, monogamous relationship with the one he wants.” Jackson explained carefully, as he dismissed the disdain in the Thai boy’s expression.

“You brought him here upstairs to tell him that? Yugyeom was sure you were banging him.” Bambam chuckled. Mark looked horrified.

“That wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Jackson licked his lips, eyeing Mark suggestively. However, the elder only blushed and looked away.

“So you came here to confess because you plan to have a monogamous relationship with Mark hyung?” Bambam asked in a mocking tone. He raised an eyebrow at Jackson when the latter simply nodded to him. Bambam didn’t seem convinced of his friend’s ability to commit. On the other hand, the American didn’t know what to think at that point.

“If Mark will have me, of course.” Jackson never stopped smiling, even when he winked at the older.

“Mark hyung, take my advice. Run away. You haven’t seen a jealous Jinyoung yet. Once he finds out this guy here is about to do what he plans to do, you’ll become his main target of the semester.” Bambam warned Mark, hoping that the older would refrain from getting into trouble with the young Lim.

“Is that so?” Mark liked the sound of that. He couldn’t help but smile to himself. Would Jinyoung finally give him enough attention once he managed to take Jackson from him? He wondered how the Korean would react if he accepted Jackson’s confession.

“Stop scaring Markiepooh! He hasn’t even given me his answer yet!” Jackson whined like a stubborn child, as he clutched the American’s arm. Bambam rolled his eyes at him and changed the subject.

“Just let go of him already! Aren’t you allowing Mark hyung to meet our old friend downstairs? On a second thought, I wonder if this is a good idea. His LA gangster attitude made poor Jae wonder if he did something to anger him.” Bambam commented, wondering why the older acted so caustic towards Youngjae.

“I’m just going through a lot these days. I have a terrible headache, Jackson was all over him and I just didn’t know who he was.” Mark said as his eyes dropped to the floor. Jackson noticed his dejected expression and gave him a back hug.

“It’s a good thing he’s here, we all want answers. Jae and Beom need to meet each other for that to happen. For now, just introduce yourself with a smile on your face, okay? Let’s not postpone this anymore. The sooner, the better.” He whispered in the elder’s ear and felt him relax.

The trio finally decided to go downstairs and make the proper introductions. What they didn’t expect to find was more than 2 members of Got7 in the living room. Mark’s eyes were big as saucers as he witnessed the way Lim Jaebeom and Choi Youngjae intensely stared at each other in silent. An apprehensive Yugyeom was on a corner of the room, trying not to look like a third wheel. The atmosphere could be cut with a knife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this week was our real JB's birthday, his fictional version gets a present from Mokpo!!XD


	15. Flash Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two bad decisions are made.

"Jae." Jaebeom blinked repetitively, unable to believe that his first love was really there. He stole a glance to Yugyeom at a corner of the room as if to confirm that the maknae was also able to see the person he never expected to see there. The apprehension in the boy's expression convinced him that all of it was real. JB tried to remember why he was there, the main purpose of his visit. And as he struggled to collect his own thoughts, he remembered that he had stopped by the maknae's house to check if Mark went to hide there. He saw when his stepbrother had left the Lims' residence in anger. He knew Jinyoung and Mark had had an argument, because he had heard shouting coming from their bedroom, and he was sure his twin was the one who had upset the older. 

JB became worried when he barged into his twin's bedroom and noticed that Jinyoung was crying. He pleaded with him to open up, but his brother refused explain what had happened between him and the older. Jaebeom convinced his twin that both of them should find out where Mark had gone. JB then dragged his distressed twin to the car, and promised him that things would get better once he and Mark had a proper talk. Since Yugyeom's place was the closest to their house, he imagined that Mark would certainly go there if there was an emergency. He tried calling Mark and the maknae, but none of them would pick up their phones. So they drove to Yugyeom's place in order to bring the American back home in case he was there. It was late, and their parents would certainly notice his absence, especially Dorine, who was constantly alert now that Jinyoung had moved back in. JB was striving to minimize the conflict between her and Jinyoung, but he was almost sure that such a task would be impossible to accomplish. Mark's mother probably wouldn't allow Jinyoung to torment her son on her watch, and his twin wouldn't stop trying. Jaebeom knew his brother didn't really have a problem with the American, since they seemed to be getting along at school. Yet, now that Jinyoung moved back to the house, he apparently remembered that Mark was the son of the woman who supposedly destroyed their parents' marriage.

When they reached the maknae's house, Jinyoung decided to wait in the car while JB went to find out if the American was indeed there. And now, JB stood there in the middle of that living room, incapable of voicing the real reason of his visit.

"Hey." Youngjae replied timidly after a while. He also seemed lost and unable to decide what to say next. Therefore, he stepped forward in his direction, not to close, not to far either. His eyes moistened, but he wouldn't cry yet. His heart beat like a hammer in his chest, his hands sweat a bit, and it was like the first time in a long time that he didn’t know how to react in front of JB. Time simply stood still, nothing else mattered around them.

"I came to pick up my hyung." Jaebeom spoke in a low tone, still too shocked to move. He had so much to say to him, yet, nothing he felt at that moment could be put into ordinary words. There was no verbal equivalent for what his heart craved to convey. He didn't know exactly where to start, so he uttered the obvious, the reason of his presence there. He didn't even notice the trio observing them at the foot of the staircase. The world seemed to have disappeared around him, and only the boy in front of him mattered. That moment belonged to Jaebeom and Youngjae, other distractions had ceased to exist, time had stopped only for them.

"And I came for you." A shy Youngjae whispered, as he took another brave step forward. He could already feel JB's heavy breath against his face.

"Samchon." Jaebeom whispered, completely overwhelmed by the other's proximity. The nickname escaped his lips like an old familiar melody that yearned to be sung one more time. His arms infallibly wrapped around the younger, bringing their bodies close. They melted into that intense hug. They bathed in each other's smell, they matched each other's satiation. They were whole again.

Mark saw the usual expression of longing that used to cloud JB's features come undone. The older sighed heavily when he watched the way JB closed his eyes, and slowly buried his face in Youngjae's shoulder. It hurt to see that phenomenal reunion from up close. The severity of his headache would never match his heartache at that moment. The answer was there, laughing at his face. He wondered why he fooled himself into thinking that he even stood a chance. JB had found his home again, he had Youngjae. Mark was the homeless one, the nomad, the eternal griever. The unloved, the unwanted, the one left behind. If Jackson was his second safe option he’d rather not take that leap of faith. He would lose him sooner or later. It wouldn’t be the first time. He had lost people before, they would leave him no matter how hard he tried to keep them near. He had failed to keep Eric, then he had failed to keep JB by his side. Death took Raymond and Joey. Death would take everyone, every single person that crossed his path, including all the people in that room. He just didn't know when or how, but it was fated to happen. That powerless sensation washed over him again. No matter how impenetrable that pulsating aura surrounding Jaebeom and Youngjae seemed to be, it couldn't outlive death, nothing alive would. Those feelings were temporary, that hunger for each other was pointless and irrational. The meaningless of all that struggle to become one was preposterous. When one loved too much, they would lose too much. Death was the enemy of love. The image of that sweet couple in that living room reminded him of the futility of life, and its inescapable end. He wished he was Youngjae, he wished he was the one in JB's arms, yet, the thought of his stepbrother’s death seemed to lessen his episode of lovesickness. It was better not to fall too deep, not when he’d soon fall into a bottomless pit of endless suffering and sorrow.

The hug of the long lost lovers ended when they heard a clapping noise fill their ears. 

"If you two are done, I guess we can go home now, stepbrother." Mark gritted his teeth when he ceased to applaud the romantic scene in front of him. He walked to the pair and stared hard at Jaebeom's hand, which, despite the interruption, still held Youngjae's.

"Mark." Jaebeom uttered, as he finally acknowledged his presence there and let go of Youngjae's hand. The informal tone he used with his stepbrother made Youngjae frown. 

"You can't leave. We need to talk. Let's go somewhere, please." Youngjae's eyes were pleading. Jaebeom looked conflicted for a moment.

"You left him once. Perhaps it's time he leaves you now. Only then you'll know how it feels like to be abandoned." Mark remarked, as he glared at Jae and took hold of Jaebeom's arm. 

Youngjae's eyes dropped to the floor as Mark's words discouraged his intentions. He planned to apologize, to explain himself, and beg for another chance, but the American wasn’t making things easy for him. On the other side of the room, Jackson cleared his throat, as he noticed that he needed to intervene. Bambam and Youngjae just observed them silently, intrigued by the trio's interaction.

"Mark, don't be difficult, let the two talk. I'll take you home, come on." The Hongkonger offered, as he put a hand on the older's shoulder. He could feel the burn of Jaebeom's glare on him.

"What are you doing here? Did you come here together?" JB demanded, as he turned to Jackson.

"I don't think that is any of your business." Jackson replied shortly, as he yanked Mark away from his stepbrother, making the older let go of JB.

"Jaebeom hyung just chill, okay? Everything was kept PG. Gyeom and I supervised them." Bambam said jokingly, but his chuckle died when he realized no one was laughing, not even his best friend.

"I think we should really give JB hyung and Jae hyung a moment alone. He came all the way from Mokpo for this. I mean, it's never too late to bury the hatchet, and start over again." Yugyeom pointed out as he eyed his guests one by one. He just couldn't understand why Mark suddenly glared at him with so much hostility.

"It's a pity, it really is, because this kid should've never returned! Does he really think Beom will forget the fact that he cowardly ran away when he needed him the most?!" An agitated Mark raised his voice, as he refused to address Youngjae directly.

"Mark, take it easy. Let's go out." Jackson whispered to him. Jaebeom looked worried. He feared that Mark's outburst denounced the real nature of his relationship with him. On the other hand, he fought the urge of breaking each one of Jackson's fingers that touched the American's shoulder.

"JB, I'm really sorry. You know I am. You know that I would never, ever hurt you purposely. I didn't wanna leave you. I just need a chance to explain myself. I love you still, I never stopped. " Youngjae declared desperately, and Jaebeom couldn't help but fix his eyes on him again. His expression changed when he heard those words.

"We will talk, Samchon. I promise we will, but now I need to take Mark home." JB feared that if he didn't walk out of that house without the American, the latter would recklessly expose them. He didn't want Youngjae to find out, not now, not that way. He needed to hear it directly from him.

"Are you asking me to wait, really?! After all this time? How long do you plan to make me wait?! Don't you think I hoped you would show up in Mokpo at some point?! I prayed for it! But you simply stayed away, like your mom wanted you to. Don't you think I deserve some of your attention now? At least you should praise my efforts to come all the way here knowing that that psychotic twin of yours is still on the loose." Youngjae said pitifully, as tears streamed down his face. 

Nobody in that room predicted Mark's reaction. When he managed to free himself of Jackson's hold, he marched towards Youngjae, and violently shoved the kid on the floor. The others just looked astonished at first. However, when the older moved one of his legs to kick Youngjae, Jaebeom held him from behind and threw him on the sofa. JB looked incensed, as he climbed on top of Mark and hissed at him.

"Don't you ever do that again." JB's face came very close to the American in a thoroughly intimidating manner. The older didn't fight his stepbrother, when he was straddled by him. The American knew he was screwed. Everybody in that room loved Got6's Sunshine, and he had dared to touch their precious otter. He wondered if because of one reckless gesture he would lose all of his friends at once. 

As soon as the kid hit the floor and started sobbing uncontrollably, Yugyeom, Bambam and even Jackson ran to his aid. Meanwhile, JB put all the weight of his body on his stepbrother, simply to keep him from attacking anyone else in that room. Mark thought that if he moved an inch, JB would punch his face and curse at him, or worse, never look him in the eye again.

"What the fuck is going on here?!" Jinyoung's voice echoed in the living room. He was tired of waiting for his brother in the car, and since Yugyeom's front door was open, he just let himself in. When he entered the place and saw a crying Youngjae on the floor surrounded by Jackson, Bambam and the maknae, he was clearly amazed. However, when he scanned the other side of the room and witnessed the way JB pressed his body against Mark's on the sofa, his blood boiled. 

"You don't wanna know." A disappointed Jackson shook his head at him as the others tried to calm down a sobbing Jae. JB noticing the glare of his twin, soon decided to get off Mark.

"I'm sorry, Bunny. You need to stay away from now on." Jaebeom quietly whispered on Mark's ear before he got up and ran a nervous hand through his hair. His menacing demeanor was gone and a sad expression clouded his face.

He went in Youngjae's direction, helped him up, took his hands in his and before the two walked out of the house together, JB asked his twin to take Mark home and look after him. Jinyoung didn't question his actions, he just nodded to his brother and gave him the car keys.

"Mark hyung, why did you do that?" Yugyeom asked, as the older remained immobile on the sofa, in the same position JB had left him. Jinyoung was bothered by his unresponsiveness, so he approached the sofa carefully.

"Get up. We're going home." Jinyoung said as he extended a hand to him. The younger knew that Mark was still hurt by what he had said to him at the house, so he tried to take it easy with him. The younger sat on the edge of the sofa and hoped not to scare the other away.

"I don't have one." The American smiled bitterly as he refused to move and meet his gaze. Jinyoung had never seen him so desolated.

"Mark, you could've seriously hurt him." Jackson accused, as he approached the pair and towered over the sofa, with a judging look on his face.

"What did he do?" Jinyoung frowned at the Hongkonger, but it was Bambam who answered him.

"He pushed Jae hyung to the floor with a strength I didn't know he had in him. Then he tried to kick him." The Thai boy looked disturbed as he remembered the scene.

"I think you all should go now. My parents will be here soon." Yugyeom stated in an unfriendly tone, as he glanced at the sofa.

"We're leaving." Jinyoung stated calmly as he stood up and eyed the American lying in the sofa with a rare sympathy. Mark ignored him. Then Jackson lost his patience, and decided to carry the stubborn older out of the house. Mark didn't complain, he just let himself be manhandled by the Hongkonger. Jinyoung and Jackson said their goodbyes to the youngsters and put the distraught American in the back seat of Jackson's car.

“I will not go back to that house.” Mark stated firmly, as soon as the Hongkonger started the vehicle. The older feared that Jaebeom could’ve brought his lover there, and he wasn’t ready to face them again after what happened at Yugyeom’s place.

“Let’s got to mine, then.” Jackson offered casually as he started to drive. Jinyoung gave him an awkward look.

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Jinyoung commented from the passenger seat, a bit uneasy.

“Let’s go to your place then, Jack.” The American declared, noticing the clear discomposure in Jinyoung’s tone. “I’ll text Dorine later. I’ll tell her that I’m spending the night at my boyfriend’s house.”

“Is that a joke?” Jinyoung side-eyed the Hongkonger, he sensed that something was off.

“No, it’s not! Jack told me about rule 77. And I’m about to say yes.” Mark replied arrogantly. He didn’t know why he said that, but he did it anyway.

“Stop the car!” Jinyoung demanded in a commanding tone.

“Come on, Jin. We can talk about this like adults when we get to my place.” Jackson sighed deeply, foreseeing the troubled ahead.

“Pull over, Jackson! Now!” Jinyoung shouted this time, and the Hongkonger couldn’t help but do what he was told. As soon as the car stopped, the Korean opened the door, stepped out of the car and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned onto the vehicle. Jackson took a deep breath, and turned his head around to meet Mark’s eyes.

“I thought we would cross that bridge when we got there.” Jackson accused, raising an eyebrow at the American, who didn’t seem to care about the mess he was causing.

“You were in that living room. It wasn’t my hand he took when he walked out of that house. I’ve just gotten my answer from JB, I’ve already crossed that fucking bridge, now it’s your turn to cross it too. Have you changed your mind now that you saw the kind of guy I really am? Are you ready to leave Jinyoung for a bully like me, who mistreats a goddam otter? I won’t blame you if you take back what you said to me at Gyeom’s house. I don’t care, it’s your call.” Mark said in a challenging tone. He saw hesitance in the other’s expression, but then Jackson turned around and opened the car door.

“Watch me.” The Hongkonger gave him a serious look, before he got out of the car and went in Jinyoung’s direction. Mark just observed the pair from the car window.

“Are you for real? Are you ending years of friendship because of that?!” An enraged Jinyoung spat, as he pointed to the older still inside the car. The Hongkonger grimaced.

“Don’t blame him, okay? I was gonna tell you about this, but I just didn’t know how! Everything happened too fast, and I wasn’t sure of it at first, but I can’t keep lying to myself anymore. I think I’ve fallen for him. Please, try to understand. I’m still your friend, I’ll always support you, and be there for you when you need me, but I’m mad about him.” Jackson replied guiltily. He knew Jinyoung wouldn’t accept his excuses.

“I cannot be your friend when you blatantly rub in my face that he is more important than us! I can’t believe you, Wang!” Jinyoung looked genuinely shaken up with the news. He couldn’t let that happen, he couldn’t let Mark take his best friend from him. He couldn’t let Mark go that easily.

“Jin, you made the rule. You knew that it was a possibility, and you were right! I’m not saying he’s more important, I’m saying you and him have different meanings to me. I don’t wanna be apart from neither of you. You and I can still be together without the sex or the intimacy that couples have.” A conflicted Jackson tried to reason with the raging Korean on the sidewalk. Jinyoung was backing him into a corner and he didn’t know what to do to keep Mark and his best friend by his side.

“What about rule 70? You do remember this one, right?” Jinyoung’s expression changed, as he suggested the impossible.

“I’m sorry if I can’t remember all of them by heart, Jin. Will you please tell me what this rule 70 is about?” Jackson looked confused, as he noticed a glimpse of hope in his friend’s eyes.

“A monogamous throuple. Actually, we should say call it trinogamous. It’s an unconventional traditional relationship, but it’s not an open one anymore. The three of us exclusively see each other, no one else is allowed to join us, it’s a faithful commitment, for real.” Jinyoung explained to him, as the other eyed him in disbelief.

“For that to work, both of us should be into him, and, well, the same goes for him. Let’s be honest, you hate the kid, Jin.” Jackson wondered if his friend had lost his mind. Was he that desperate?

“If I hated him I wouldn’t be teaching him Korean, nor living under the same roof with him. Come on, it would be a nice experiment. You would be able to keep two boyfriends at the same time. It’s a win-win situation.” Jinyoung insisted, knowing he could manipulate the Hongkonger into agreeing with him.

“Jinyoung, I might love him. Did you just hear everything that I said?” a troubled Jackson asked wearily.

“And you love me too, right?” the Korean inquired sternly as he took a step forward in his direction.

“Of course I do.” He whispered, as he looked away. It saddened him how Jinyoung refused to accept their new reality. Yet, he felt like giving in, when Jinyoung held his hand tentatively and caressed his cheek.

“He doesn’t love you. JB is all he thinks about. Did he tell you about what has been going on?” Jinyoung said quietly. Jackson nodded.

“Mark doesn’t love JB either, he’s just needy, and a bit messed up in the head.” Jackson asserted, before running a hand through his hair.

“Maybe we can give him what he needs. With time, we can make him fall for us. JB can’t compete with JinSon. Let’s be messed up together.” Jinyoung offered him a sly smile. The Hongkonger seemed to ponder his words.

“He’ll never accept this kind of relationship.” Jackson said, not sure if he himself was ready to take that risk. He and Jinyoung had shared a bed with Mark before, but now he just wanted him for himself.

“We should ask him then.” Jinyoung’s persuasiveness was unbeatable. The Hongkonger believed that Mark would never agree to that ludicrous idea, so, he believed that as soon as he said no, Jinyoung would have to deal with it, and forget about rule 70.

“Okay.” Jackson finally answered him and they got back to the car. Mark was already sleeping in the backseat, so they kept quiet till they reached the Hongkonger’s house.

Jackson’s parents were sleeping when they got there. The Hongkonger carried a sleeping Mark on his back and entered the place. Jinyoung tiptoed behind the two as they climbed the stairs to Jackson’s room. When Mark was carefully laid on Jackson’s bed, he suddenly woke up.

“What did I miss?” he asked as he yawned, blinked a few times and sat up on the bed. Jackson had a frown on his face as he leaned against the closed door, and Jinyoung looked composed sitting at the edge of the bed.

“We have a proposition for you.” Jinyoung started.

“Feel free to disagree with all of it.” Jackson added hurriedly. The Korean shot him a look that silenced him. Mark looked properly awake now.

“I’m listening.” The American said attentively, as his eyes traveled from Jackson to Jinyoung.

“What do you think about having two boyfriends?” Jinyoung was already making that magnetic eye contact with Mark.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the American was confused now.

“Jack and I are willing to make use of rule 70 to keep the three of us together in a proper relationship. No stranger included. The three of us will have the privilege of exclusivity with each other, and we’ll do all the things couples do, including kissing.” Jinyoung said at once. Jackson eyed the American with worry.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” The older didn’t seem happy to hear that. Jinyoung swallowed hard. Jackson’s expression relaxed.

“That only applies if both parties have developed feelings for the same person. I fear that’s not the case.” The Hongkonger chimed in.

“I thought you were serious about me.” A shocked Mark turned to the Hongkonger, feeling extremely betrayed. Within a second, Jackson was by the side of the bed giving him a reassuring look.

“And I still am. We can stick to our rule 77 like I said before, and Jin won’t do anything to stop us.” The determination in the Hongkonger’s tone made Jinyoung gasp. The Korean stood up and tried to turn the tables one more time.

“Jack is not used to this kind of commitment, Mark. He’s never been in a monogamous relationship with anyone. Consider this a loyalty trial. We can try it for a month. If he proves to be a proper faithful boyfriend to us, I won’t mind if you guys go ahead with rule 77. I’ll give you two my blessing and keep my distance.” Jinyoung suggested, as Jackson shook his head in frustration.

“Jin, let’s stop this, okay? He’s not into this sharing stuff. Mark is not that kind of guy.” The Hongkonger was about to lose his patience. The anguished Korean glanced at the older again and then his eyes dropped in consternation.

“I’ll do it.” Mark declared, rendering the pair speechless for a long minute.

“What the fuck did you just say?!” An astonished Jackson exclaimed, as he left the side of the bed and took a meaningful distance from it.

“You heard me. Let’s experiment.” Mark confirmed his decision, and Jinyoung’s smirk grew large.

“You don’t really want this, come on.” Jackson still looked unconvinced.

“Your friend knows you better than I do. You do have a reputation and it’s hard to believe that the Don Juan of Kirin High is suddenly head over heels for me! You can’t expect me to just take your word for it, right? It’s only for a month anyways.” Mark’s words seemed to upset the Hongkonger.

“You don’t think you can do it?” Jinyoung asked victoriously. He knew Jackson would never turn down a challenge.

“Very well, I accept MarkJin’s assessment. You guys wanna put me to the test, go ahead! If that’s what it takes for you to believe me, that’s what I’ll do.” Jackson stated as he locked eyes with the older.

“I’m glad we all came to an agreement.” Jinyoung tried not to look as satisfied as he actually was.

“I’m gonna take a shower now. While I am at it, you guys can decide who I am gonna fuck first tonight.” Jackson announced rudely, as he took his shirt off and entered the bathroom. Mark blushed and looked away. Jinyoung simply huffed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2Jae shippers, where r u!?XD


	16. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MarkJinSon and rule 70!>_<

As soon as the other two found themselves alone in the bedroom, Jinyoung approached the other on the bed.

“Are you gonna tell me why you said yes to this?” The Korean asked curiously.

“I didn’t wanna make you guys break up. It’s a weird connection that you two have, but it’s still a strong one. It sucks to lose people you care for. You looked sad, and I didn’t like to see you like that. Let me be the only brokenhearted son of a bitch tonight.” Mark said quietly, sadness etched on his face. Jinyoung felt a pang in his chest when he heard his reason. He felt an urge to take him in his arms, but he felt like if he did, he wouldn’t be able to let go. He had never been so terrified in his whole life. If he gave in to those feelings, there would be no turning back.

“I warned you about JB. You wouldn’t be suffering now if-”

“Can I make use of my privilege now?” Mark cut him off, as he brought a hand to the nape of the Korean’s neck. It was obvious that he didn’t wanna talk about Youngjae and Jaebeom.

“What do you mean?” Jinyoung whispered, felt a shiver ran through his spine with that contact.

“Can I kiss you now?” Mark asked, with a glint of want in his eyes.

“You don’t have to ask for it anymore. Because you’re mine now, babe.” Jinyoung stated firmly, as leaned into him. Mark looked uncertain for a second.

“And Jackson’s.” Mark added, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Let’s see how long this will last.” Jinyoung declared confidently.

“Do you want me to be only yours?” The American studied his face closely.

“Would you like that?” Jinyoung looked down, unable to hold Mark’s gaze. That proximity was too much, the older was hypnotic.

“Maybe.” Mark replied, hoping to notice any kind of emotion in the other’s features, yet, he still wasn’t able to read him at all. “But you’ll never be only mine, right? I know you don’t love me and you probably have no intention of doing so in the future. I don’t wanna sound like a clingy guy, but do you think that during this experiment you might develop some sort of feelings for me at some point? Even if it’s not love?” The American was already lost in his magnetic stare.

“Did you say yes to this just to make me fall in love with you?” Jinyoung smirked at him, yet his tone was unusually filled with tenderness. The Korean was a great actor, and sometimes even his expression didn’t match his words or actions, but Mark could swear his voice had abruptly become softer.

“I wouldn’t go that far. I mean, I know you’re not cut out for that. Maybe I just wanted to have a chance to kiss you again.” Mark’s words made Jinyoung feel guilty. He knew he owed him a kiss, he felt like he also owed it to himself. So, he rewarded Mark with a brief peck on the lips. The American gave him a tiny smile, but he wanted much more than that.

“You know, Jack is not happy with your decision. He’ll make you regret it. He can be an asshole when things don’t go his way. You hurt his ego.” The Korean warned, as he fixed his eyes on the other’s lips. He felt like if he started kissing him for real, he wouldn’t let anyone else have those lips ever again, not even his best friend. He wondered if Mark felt the same way about him. If the he had been the one to present rule 77 to the elder first, would Mark agree with it? Jinyoung thought that the American was perfect for rule 77, he had everything a guy could ask for and more, he could be sweet when he wanted to, and sour when the situation forced him to be. Jinyoung found that even his flaws were charming. The Korean admired Jackson’s straightforwardness and his guts. He asked Mark out without giving a damn about what that could do to their open relationship. Jinyoung just wished he could’ve beat him to it. He liked rule 77, he wrote it himself, and he certainly wouldn’t let Jackson and his stepbrother achieve a happy ending through it.

“What do you mean?” Mark looked puzzled, but before the younger could answer him, the Hongkonger entered the room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked dazzling, with his wet hair and chest muscles in display. The American couldn’t help but blush furiously.

“What are you guys waiting for? Get naked. We’re about to officially celebrate our throuple commitment. I’m anxious to start trying new things with my two boyfriends.” Jackson said smugly, as he crossed his strong arms, making the veins in them stand out. His tone was controlled, but Jinyoung knew he wasn’t that excited to see Mark and his best friend making out on a bed. The Korean simply sighed and started undressing, but Mark looked a bit shy. He watched Jackson’s eyes roam around the Korean’s body as soon as he got totally naked on the bed. Mark still hesitated, but he knew the anticipation was already making him hard.

“Your turn, babe.” Jinyoung whispered to him sensually as he brought a hand to his upper thigh.

“Maybe we could just kiss. Spend the whole night kissing each other till we fall asleep.” Mark whispered the suggestion for only him to hear. Jinyoung looked perplexed, he wasn’t the romantic kind, but he could swear his heart did a double somersault. On the other hand, the American suddenly felt pressured. The gorgeous couple before him was about to give up their usual dynamics only for him. Mark feared he couldn’t perform his role well. He wondered if he would be enough for them.

“You don’t want this?” Jinyoung was secretly fighting an internal battle with himself, but he just furrowed his eyebrows at him, struggling to look unfazed. The Hongkonger just watched them, waiting for the pair to get ready for him. Mark wasn’t able to formulate his answer quickly enough. Within a second, Jackson threw himself at the bed, and hungrily climbed on top of him.

“What’s wrong? Already questioning your own decisions, sweetheart?” Jackson eyed him with defiance. There was a slight trace of malice in his voice.

“If he’s not in the mood, we should stop.” Jinyoung warned, as he put a hand on Jackson’s arm. The latter ignored him and abruptly captured Mark’s lips. The American was startled at first, but he responded to the kiss. Jackson was a wondrous kisser, and he could make anyone melt with the way his tongue moved inside one’s mouth. He kept kissing Mark fiercely, as he fought with the button of his jeans. The American’s hands were all over his pecs and nipples. When the Hongkonger managed to unbutton and unzip the elder’s jeans, he pulled his hard dick out of his boxers and stroked it firmly. The American moaned into the kiss. If he wasn’t in the mood before, Jackson quickly managed to put him in the mood.

Jinyoung turned his head away from them. He was unable to watch that scene. Jealousy was eating him alive at that moment. He was the one who convinced them to join that kind of relationship, yet, he just didn’t know if he would be able to pretend that he was totally okay with it. He heard rustling of clothing, he saw pieces of it being thrown on the floor, he felt the urgent movement of bodies pressed together very close to him. He tried to ignore the shaking of their bed and the way the sheets crumpled around him. He felt like crying.

Suddenly a touch caught his attention. He felt a hand caress his side, so he turned his head around again and found out it was Mark’s. The American was already completely naked, Jackson’s towel was gone and the Hongkonger stretched the older while sucking on his dick. There was an open bottle of lube on the nightstand and Jinyoung just knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop Jackson from having Mark first that night. He observed the way Jackson possessively hovered over the older and gripped at his thighs and hips with bruising strength. Mark’s hand shyly travelled to Jinyoung’s crotch and when he finally found what he was looking for, the Korean couldn’t help but moan. When Mark started pumping him, Jinyoung moaned in pleasure. He was already extremely hard just from listening to them, but the way the long and delicate fingers of the American wrapped around him, almost made him come too early. He locked eyes with Mark and he saw lust in them, he knew he wanted him, although Jackson was the one with two fingers scissoring his hole.

Jinyoung couldn’t help but get closer to the pair. He kissed Mark’s arm, then his shoulder, face and neck. When the Korean sucked on the sensitive skin of his neck, the older groaned, extremely aroused by the sensation of the younger’s teeth and tongue on him. When the Korean’s lips returned to his cheek and then his mouth, Mark wrapped both his arms around the younger’s neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Their tongues danced a rhythm that only both of them recognized. Jinyoung’s pierced tongue added an extra sensation to the kiss. Only when the American felt the hard cold metal object rolling from side to side in his mouth that he was reminded of its presence there. When the Korean sucked on the tip of Mark's tongue and just let the ball of his tongue ring graze it, the older was thrilled. He definitely liked to play with it. Mark couldn’t help but think how good it would feel around his dick. It was kinky and sexy. He was certain the younger had removed the object when he went to the restaurant earlier with the rest of the family. During the blowjob his stepbrother had given him at the toilet, Mark could swear that the ball ring wasn’t there. He wondered if Jinyoung had taken it off because his Dad would be at the table and they would be sharing a meal for the first time in a long while. Mr. Lim was obviously the conservative type and piercings surely wouldn’t be the kind of jewel he would approve in such occasion. Yet, Jinyoung didn’t seem the type to give a fuck about what others thought of him. He didn’t care if people felt uncomfortable or offended by the things he did or said. Jinyoung was a free spirit, and Mark loved that about him. He wondered how long the Korean had that piercing, how much it must’ve hurt to get it done, and he also thought of perhaps, getting one himself.

When they broke their kiss to breathe, Mark didn’t wanna let him go. He beamed at Jinyoung with a passion that almost made him forget that they weren’t the only ones in that room. Jinyoung’s heart was out of control when he smiled back. A lot of emotions built inside him at that moment, he felt like having an orgasm from just kissing the foreigner. He wanted that Mark could feel the same. His magnetic eyes were at full strength now. The American nibbled on his lower lip, asking more from him, but his delighted expression was soon replaced by a pained one when the Hongkonger pushed himself all the way inside him in a single thrust. Mark yelped as he tried to get used to the abrupt invasion. Jinyoung covered his mouth with one of his hands and gave Jackson a dirty look. The Hongkonger gave him a wicked smile.

“Worried that we might awake the whole neighborhood, or that I might kill him with pleasure?” Jackson asked the Korean.

“What if your parents barge in here and find out you’re roughly penetrating the stepson of Kirin High!?” Jinyoung looked incensed. If Mark wasn’t so busy recovering from the pain of being impaled by Jackson, he would have laughed at the younger’s remark. The scene would certainly be hilarious.

“You were the one distracting him.” Jackson replied grumpily, with a serious expression on his face. Then realization dawned on Jinyoung. The Hongkonger was jealous, the kiss he shared with Mark clearly bothered him. It was like Jackson’s feelings mirrored his. They were both at the point of no return. If they started fighting for Mark in that bed, their experiment would be over in a blink of an eye. Therefore, Jinyoung unwillingly removed his hand from Mark’s mouth, and just gave them some space.

“Please, don’t move yet.” Mark hoarsely begged and Jackson complied. He was completely inside of Mark, but he didn’t mean to hurt him. He stayed still and only leaned on him a bit to whisper something in his ear. Mark moaned in response. It was in Mandarin. Jackson was doing it again, he was making all the right moves and the sound of his husky voice in that language worked like magic. Mark craved for more. The American wrapped his legs around his hips and pulled Jackson’s body to him.

“Fuck, Mark! Always, so fucking tight!” Jackson grunted when he felt the American’s nails dig into his back and his hips buck up. Only then, the Hongkonger started moving in and out of him slowly. Mark moaned, trying his best not to be too loud. Jinyoung was tired of watching, so he got the bottle of lube from the nightstand, positioned himself behind Jackson and coated his dick with the liquid. The Hongkonger noticed the movement behind him. He bit his lips when he felt the Korean’s finger roam between his butt cheeks. He knew what Jinyoung was about to do, and he loved his initiative.

Jackson pulled Mark’s legs up and over his shoulder changing their angle. The elder’s legs shivered, welcoming the deeper penetration and stronger thrusts **.** He missed the Korean’s kisses, but the unbelievable amount of pleasure Jackson was providing him, made his mind go blank. He just closed his eyes, arched his back and brutally bit his lips while Jackson dominated all of him. The way the Hongkonger pummeled inside the older and quickened the speed of his hand on his length, drove Mark crazy. He kept constantly hitting that sweet spot inside him, making his body twitch all over.

“Don’t stop, Jackie! Harder!” Mark growled in ecstasy. His erotic noises enticed the Hongkonger even more. The frenetic sound of skin slapping against skin echoed in the room.

“Shit! I love you, Markie.” Jackson uttered as he lost himself inside the American and leaned in to give him a full-blown kiss. The latter kissed him back, but he didn’t ignore the weight of his words. Mark didn’t know if the Hongkonger just let that sentence carelessly roll out of his mouth in the heat of the moment, or if he really meant it. Jackson had told him that he liked him, but love was a different verb, one the American was quite fond of. He was glad Jackson said it, but still, he didn’t say it back.

The Korean was clearly taken aback by the sentence as well. He tried to play it cool for a second or two, and pretend that it didn’t happen. Yet, he couldn’t. He felt like he was lagging behind. He feared that Jackson could succeed in wooing Mark, and that his incurably romantic stepbrother would eventually fall for the Hongkonger. At the end of the day, he would be losing both of them anyway. The Korean definitely needed a distraction at that moment.

Jinyoung didn’t stretch Jackson enough before the tip of his lubricated dick pushed inside his narrow entrance. Jackson was a power top who rarely bottomed, and when it happened, it was only for the Korean. Jackson’s trust on him had no boundaries. Jinyoung was the sole privileged young man who had ever had a taste of his prized ass, and the Korean knew he liked it rough. So when he mercilessly pounded the Hongkoger from behind, trying to catch up with the savage rhythm of the two hot foreigners, he ignored Jackson’s gasps and curses, and the way he was forced to bend over a little to make the penetration less painful. Soon their thrusts and moans matched each other’s. The throuple seemed complete now with the three naked bodies entwined, deeply connected. Jinyoung fucked Jackson while Jackson fucked Mark. The intense sexual act performed in that room apparently sealed an unbreakable contract between the three.

The power of Jinyoung’s thrust inside Jackson magnified the potency of the ramming into the elder’s hole. Mark was the first to reach his climax underneath the Hongkonger. He was completely exhausted and satisfied. He ejaculated all over himself as multiple waves of pleasure assaulted him at once. Jackson was next. He still had a firm hold on Mark’s dick when the elder felt his warm seed invade him. The American enjoyed that sensation. He felt dirty, in a really great way, and accomplished. He was able to satisfy the most handsome Chinese he had ever met in his life. The image of Jinyoung’s grip on Jackson’s hips and the groans that escaped from his throat while the Korean topped him was unforgettable. Sex with those two would never be boring. During their act, even though the Korean was behind Jackson, whenever the Hongkonger bent too much, Mark would get a glimpse of Jinyoung’s eyes. Those dark and mysterious magnetic eyes. He came faster because of those eyes. For a moment, he could imagine that it was not only Jackson inside him, but Jinyoung too. He wondered how mind-blowing would be to have both his boyfriends penetrating him at the same time. Actually, he didn’t even know if that was possible. When Jackson withdrew his dick and removed Mark’s legs from his shoulders, he positioned himself on all fours, and waited for Jinyoung to cum inside him, but the younger was taking his sweet time in his ass. A worn down Mark was still under Jackson, watching their interaction with half-opened eyes. He was too tired to move or say anything.

“Are you okay in there, Jinnie? Do you plan to spend the rest of the night in my ass?” Jackson’s question had a tinge of criticism. The Korean’s eyes darkened as they fixed on Mark’s naked body underneath Jackson. It was like the Hongkonger was establishing a barrier between the stepbrothers, and Jinyoung didn’t like that. So, when he felt like he was about to come, he abandoned Jackson’s hole, and crawled through the gap between his legs, making the confused Hongkonger give him more space now that he was the one hovering above Mark. A puzzled Jackson sat back and observed how Jinyoung straddled Mark’s chest on a kneeling position and caressed his plump lips.

“Open wide for me, babe.” The Korean’s voice sounded like a command that Mark couldn’t help but follow. He obediently opened his mouth seconds before Jinyoung ejaculated his semen all over his chest, neck, face and mouth. The Hongkonger was petrified.

“Jinyoung, what the fuck?!” Jackson protested with an expression of disbelief on his face. They had done all kinds of kinky stuff with different partners, but he thought that doing such a thing with Mark, his own stepbrother, was a bit degrading.

“What? I just got our new boyfriend a pearl necklace to celebrate our beautiful union. Don’t you think it suits him?” Jinyoung sneered at him, while the quiet American just waited for his next move. Mark remembered how that blowjob in the toilet of a certain restaurant developed, so he didn’t complain. If Jinyoung was about to lick him all over, damn, he was eager for it. He liked that level of intimacy. The elder wondered why he’d rather giving him a facial than finishing inside Jackson, but he wouldn’t ask. Mark couldn’t tell if it was Jinyoung’s way of asserting absolute dominance over him, or if it was all about marking his territory, leaving his scent on him. Nevertheless, the American loved the ownership aspect of the act, he felt like it was a bonding gesture. He didn’t mind being Jinyoung’s possession. He felt like he was already his anyway.

“Get off him! That’s humiliating. Go re-enact porn industry clichés with someone else. He’s not your whore, okay?!” Jackson said as he grabbed Jinyoung’s by the wrist and yanked him from Mark. The American frowned at the Hongkonger’s actions. He just swallowed the cum that ended up in his mouth and wiped his face on the sheets of the bed. He hated the interruption. All the elder wanted at that moment was to have Jinyoung’s pierced tongue running along his skin, but with Jackson in the room, that would be impossible.

“He’s not yours either!” The Korean shot back, giving him an accusing look. Jackson swallowed hard, he knew he tried to monopolize Mark during the whole thing and his friend clearly felt left out.

“Oh please! You guys sound like two drama queens! Just quit bickering, will you?! It’s just cum, not acid! It’s not like I’m scarred for life. I’m okay with everything that happened here, seriously.” Mark sighed tiredly. “Look, I’m all sticky and icky, so I’m gonna take a fucking shower now, feel free to join me whenever you want.” He announced impatiently, and walked into the bathroom, leaving the other wide-eyed pair flabbergasted in the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting hot in here...XP


	17. Trauma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of the Tuan family's past.

When morning came, Mark suddenly realized he had woken up in an empty bed. He could still feel the scent of his boyfriends on the sheets. It made him smile. The pajamas his Chinese boyfriend lent him after they showered the night before felt comfortable around him. Mark thought he could get used to that. He looked around the messy room and surprisingly found Jackson by the window, smoking a cigarette.

“Hey!” The American called out, and Jackson immediately threw the thing away, and turned around to meet his boyfriend’s dreamy eyes.

“Morning, sweetie.” He said softly as he walked in his direction, ruffled his hair and gave him a peck on the lips.

“I didn’t know you smoke. It’s sexy.” Mark said, smiling a bit after the soft contact of his lover’s lips.

“Jin hates it. I kinda stopped smoking because he wanted me to. Now I only do it in secret.” Jackson smirked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Aren’t you afraid that I might tell our boyfriend your little secret?” Mark said jokingly, but Jackson’s relaxed expression changed.

“I don’t care if he finds out anymore.” He answered shortly, as he stood up abruptly and went to his closet.

“Where is he, by the way?” Mark asked quickly as he bit his lower lip.

“School, sweetheart. We are the only ones suspended, right?” the Hongkonger beamed now. “That’s why I’m gonna take advantage of our free time and take you on a date.”

“Really? Without Jin?” Mark looked skeptical.

“What can we do? Unfortunately, the young Lim is not available today.” Jackson said, as he rummaged through his closet to find the perfect outfit for his boyfriend to wear on their date. Soon he found what he was looking for and threw some clothes on the bed.

“Shouldn’t we tell him about it first?” Mark asked, as he examined the outfit, which certainly would be too loose on him. But he didn’t mind, it was Jackson’s, so it was perfect.

“Stop worrying and get dressed, will you?” Jackson suggested. “I’ll be downstairs making us breakfast.” He said as he walked to the door and winked at the American.

“I don’t wanna see you guys fighting.” Mark declared with a worried expression on his face. Jackson sighed, turned to him and gave the older a reassuring look.

“We won’t. I told him this morning that as long as he doesn’t treat you like an object, or some sort of freakin’ Pornstar, we won’t have a problem anymore.” Jackson asserted, resting one of his hands on the door handle and another on his hips.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean to upset you.” Mark said in his stepbrother’s defense, as he got up from the bed and slowly approached the Hongkonger.

“No, sweetheart. He only did it to mark you.” Jackson commented with a disgusted look on his face.

“What?” The American didn’t know what to say at that moment, he wasn’t sure what the Hongkonger meant with that.

“Never mind. Look, Jin and I talked a lot this morning while you slept, and we’ve established some new rules to our present arrangement.” Jackson declared as he scratched his head. He wasn’t sure if Mark would approve what he and Jinyoung decided without consulting him.

“Geez, you guys love rules, don’t you? We shouldn’t limit ourselves. You do know rules are made to be broken.” Mark gave him a mischievous look. Jackson grinned.

“I’m serious here, Tuan Yi-en. The first thing you need to know is about rule 70.1. Although the three of us are dating, Jinyoung’s involvement with us must be kept a secret between us. No one must know about our throuple arrangement. For the world outside, I’m the only boyfriend you have.” Jackson instructed him carefully.

“Did Nyoungie agree with that?” Mark looked intrigued.

“What do you think?! Mark, you guys are more or less family, you want it or not. Some people might find your relationship with him disturbing. This is Korea, remember? In fact, not only here in this country people would think it’s kinda fucked up to sleep with your stepbrother.” Jackson rolled his eyes at him, Mark only nodded.

“Our parents would flip.” The American couldn’t help, but let a small smirk form on his lips.

“Tell me about it.” The Hongkonger chuckled. “Look, we’ll talk more about the new rules when you get changed, okay? I can’t wait to take you out today.” He said gently. The American nodded and kissed his forehead gently. Before the Jackson walked out of the room, he gave Mark his best Squirtle smile.

After having their breakfast, Jackson informed Mark that he wanted to take him to the mall in order to buy something for him. The American insisted that it wasn’t necessary, but according to the Hongkonger, he wanted to give him something to celebrate their first date as a real couple. The older didn’t argue anymore after that. Jackson looked so animated and excited that Mark felt like allowing him to do anything he wanted to do. They looked around the mall for hours, till they found couple bracelets that matched both of them. Jackson suggested that they should go to the movies next, and Mark immediately agreed to the idea. He loved spending time with Jackson, and their first date was going really well, till they got to the movie theater.

The couple was waiting at a large line to buy their tickets when someone approached them.

“Hey there, hyungs.” Youngjae greeted them politely. Mark turned around abruptly, as soon as he heard the sound of his voice. Jackson looked delighted.

“Jae-ah! What are you doing here, man?!” Jackson exclaimed, as he kindly hugged his dongsaeng. An astonished Mark almost dropped his Coke on the floor. He felt ashamed by the way he behaved the day before, and he still didn’t know how to act friendly towards the kid. He just didn’t like him, period. Youngjae’s presence reminded him that JB went to Yugyeom’s house yesterday to pick him up, but he left with his long lost lover. The American wondered if his stepbrother had slept at the Lim’s residence, and if he had slept alone.

“I’m here with JB. He’s in the toilet. We thought we could spend some quality time together since he got suspended.” The younger commented, as he smiled brightly at his hyungs. Mark wondered why he was being that nice even though he had acted like an asshole towards him at Yugyeom’s house. Jackson poked him in the arm, signaling him to say something.

“Look, man, I’m really sorry-” Mark started, but the younger cut him off.

“It’s really okay Mark hyung. I know you were just looking out for JB. All the things you said to me make sense, and I would want to protect him too if I were in your shoes. If suddenly, a guy who broke my dongsaeng’s heart showed up again asking for a chance, I wouldn’t think twice, I’d assume he was asking for a beating instead. He’s your precious stepbrother and I understand why you behaved like that. You two became close, he told me. I guess you just happen to be as overprotective as he is.” The younger said, obviously unaware of Mark and Jaebeom’s affair.

“Youngjae, I-”

“Let’s do this the right way, okay?” the younger suggested, giving him a reassuring look. “Hello, I’m Choi Youngjae. Nice to meet you, Mark hyung.” The kid extended a hand to him and Mark couldn’t help but shake it. As soon as another person approached them, he let go of his hand and looked away nervously. Jaebeom looked as surprised as he was earlier. He eyed Jackson briefly, and fixed his eyes on his stepbrother.

“How come you guys are here?” JB’s question sounded more like a demand. His stepbrother refused to look him in the eye. He just stood there with a lump in his throat, hoping that the awkward situation would just go away.

“We’re on a date. Mark and I are officially boyfriends now. So we came to celebrate.” Jackson said quickly, as he put a hand around Mark’s waist. JB looked like he was about to explode.

“Jackson hyung is in a relationship?! I never thought I’d see the day Jackson Wang decided to settle down. Wow, things have definitely changed around here. Congratulations to both of you!” Youngjae looked happy for the couple. The Hongkonger smiled at him, Mark just uncomfortably bit his lips.

“Thanks.” The older said quietly, struggling to act unaffected by JB’s presence.

“Things have obviously changed a lot.” JB added, gritting his teeth. He was annoyed by the fact that Mark ignored his presence. And that date announcement was making him nauseous.

“Since fate brought us all here together, we should take advantage of it. That’s a great opportunity for us to have a double date, don’t you think?” Jackson suggested, clearly aware of the tension between the stepbrothers. Youngjae blushed a little, but seemed ready to accept his idea. Mark sighed in frustration, and Jaebeom couldn’t keep his feelings in check anymore.

“Mark can I have a word with you, please?” JB asked, trying his best to sound calm.

“Why?” Mark still didn’t look him in the eye. Youngjae looked confused.

“Go ahead, sweetheart. Talk to him. Jae and I will be anxiously waiting for you two right here.” Jackson chimed in. He knew that with Youngjae there, Jaebeom wouldn’t go around biting people’s neck, and since he had already rejected Mark, the Hongkonger didn’t feel threatened by him.

The American hesitated a bit, but eventually agreed to follow JB to a more private corner of the movie theater.

“What is this?!” JB asked irritated as they took some distance from the others.

“What do you mean?” Mark’s eyes were already moist. He hated to feel like this towards JB. He wanted to scream when Jackson suggested the idea of a double date. He couldn’t bear to see Youngjae and his stepbrother together. JB’s answer still pained him.

“You are Jackson’s boyfriend now? What the hell?!” JB spat, looking extremely vexed.

“It’s none of your business, really.” Mark kept looking away, not sure if he was ready for a confrontation. His stepbrother didn’t seem concerned about making a scene right there, but he did his best to keep his voice down.

“I thought you said you would wait! I asked for some time, remember?! I told you to stay away so I could properly make my mind. Didn’t you hear me yesterday at Yugyeom’s-”

“You what??!” Mark finally met his eyes. The American’s shock puzzled JB.

“Are you deaf or something?!” he eyed Mark in disbelief, throwing his hands in the air.

“You haven’t decided yet?! Why are you going to the movies with him, then?” Mark nervously ran a hand through his hair. He couldn’t believe what was happening. He internally cursed himself for being so dense. He totally misinterpreted what his stepbrother had whispered in his ear the night before.

“It’s just a movie, Mark! Not a wedding. We are trying to get to know each other again. I’m trying to find out if there’s still a connection between us. We’ve been apart for more than a year, and he’s just arrived yesterday. It’s not like I’m gonna jump into a relationship with him! We are hanging out as friends. What’s wrong with that?” JB didn’t like to see the tears forming in the corner of his stepbrother’s eyes. He wanted to take him in his arms, but he knew 2 pairs of eyes were on them.

“I’m sorry.” Mark shook his head in despair, as he wiped his tears before they could stream down his face. He felt like a total idiot.

“What are you doing with Jackson?! Are you trying to make me jealous, or do you simply wanna see me go crazy?” an upset JB asked again. He wanted to understand why the Hongkonger claimed Mark as his boyfriend.

“He said he loves me and he asked for a chance. Since I thought you had rejected me last night I didn’t think...” Mark bit his lip nervously. There was a lot more to that story, but he wouldn’t dare to involve Jinyoung in it.

“So you just said yes?” JB looked devastated.

“Yeah.” He whispered guilty.

“Look, I know Jackson was your first time, and he’s the only guy with whom you shared that level of intimacy. It’s normal to get attached to someone after having such an experience with them. But we both know this is not going anywhere.” JB argued carefully. Mark squinted his eyes at him.

“Let me guess, now you’re gonna tell me he’s a cheater and a player.”

“No, I won’t. Maybe he was all that before you arrived, but he’s changed. When Jin made me call him to apologize after the fight at the cafeteria, we talked a lot about you. He told me about his intentions. He’s ready to break things off with my brother for you. I know he’s not fucking around this time.” JB said in a serious tone. Mark remembered that Jaebeom mentioned that he had called Jackson to apologize, but he hadn’t revealed the whole content of their conversation.

“Neither am I.” The American said honestly, as he stared hard into his eyes. He had made a commitment with Jackson and Jinyoung, and he wouldn’t give up on that now, not even for JB.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Mark?” JB took a deep breath.

“You don’t have to choose anymore, because I already made my own choice.” Mark said at once. Despite the disappointed expression on Jaebeom’s face, the American was convinced that he was just a temporary distraction for Jaebeom. The Korean’s first love was back, and Mark didn’t feel like competing for JB’s attention now. He wouldn’t hinder his stepbrother’s happiness with Youngjae.

“You can’t be serious. You don’t love him, do you?” Jaebeom eyed him incredulously.

“He’s a loveable guy, I can learn to love him. He told me he would make me forget you within a week.” The American replied mercilessly. He was really tired of pining and hoping. He believed that even if Jaebeom had more time to make up his mind, his choice would be Choi Youngjae. He was certain of it.

“He will try, and he will fail.” Jaebeom gave him a bitter smile, but before Mark questioned the hidden meaning behind his words, Youngjae approached them.

“Guys, the film is about to start. Let’s go!” the kid announced brightly, and all JB did was take a hold of the younger’s hand, and walk into the theater without looking back. Jackson walked in Mark’s direction and tried to hold his hand, but the older avoided the contact.

“A double date, really?! Are you out of your mind?!” Mark accused, trying to keep his voice down.

“Mark, you live with your stepbrother, and you guys attend the same school. Were you really planning on avoiding him and his boyfriend? For how long? This kind of interaction would happen sooner or later.” Jackson tried to reason with him. Mark’s eyes were big as saucers.

“Who arranged this?!” Realization hit the older like a bucket of ice-cold water.

“Youngjae texted me and we made this coincidence happen. He was feeling terrible about last night. He’s eager to get to know you better. He said that anyone who stands up for JB the way you did yesterday deserves his respect. He’s a really good kid, I assure you. There’s no reason for you to be so mad at him. You and I are together now, remember?” Jackson tried to reason with him.

“You three can stay and have your fucking date. Who knows, they might even be okay with this throuple thing, right? Perhaps you can convince them to have some fun in a hotel room later! I’m leaving!” Mark sounded unreasonably mad.

“Mark, come on, don’t be ridiculous. They are my friends.” Jackson didn’t mean to upset him like that.

“They are not mine, Wang! I’m going home right now!” Mark announced and marched out of the place. Jackson begged him to listen, then he insisted to take him home. But Mark ignored his pleas, got into a taxi and went home.

As soon as he paid the driver and reached the front yard of the Lim’s residence, he noticed Taek-geun on the porch. He tried to ignore his quizzical stare and get into the house, yet, his stepfather approached him.

“Where have you been?” his tone wasn’t accusatory.

“Out.” Mark said shortly.

“Care to be more specific?”

“I texted Dorine. I said I would spend the night at a friend’s house. Is there a problem?”

“Jinyoung told me you were with Jackson.” Mr. Lim raised an eyebrow at him.

“And?” Mark looked uncomfortable. He had no idea why his stepbrother told that to his dad.

“I find difficult to believe that my son is supporting your relationship with him. In fact, last time we talked at Kirin High, you made me think that you and Wang weren’t in a serious relationship.”

“We’re dating now. Why does it matter to you? Are you surprised that Jackson left your son to be with me?” Mark snorted. “By the way, I’ve got a reason for not being at school, what about you?”

“There’s a vice-principal there. Anytime there’s an emergency that requires me to leave Kirin High for a couple of hours, she takes over.” Taek-geun replied.

“What’s the emergency?” the teenager furrowed his brows.

“Listen, I worry about you, kid. Yesterday night you, Jaebeom and Jinyoung took off without saying anything. Hours later, JB calls me and tells me that he wouldn’t sleep at home, but his brother would be coming back home with you. You two never showed up. Then Dorine receives your text with that lame excuse. This morning Jinyoung returns and says you slept at Jackson’s. The truth is, Mark, I’m curious to know what’s going on between the twins and you.” Mr. Lim gave him a quizzical look, as he folded his arms. The American’s heart was in his mouth.

“I’m not sure if I understand.” The teenager felt trapped as he leaned on the railings of the porch.

“Is my son giving you trouble?” he asked calmly.

“JB wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Mark answered quickly.

“Well, he did lost his temper with you at school, but we both know I’m not talking about Jaebeom. I talked to your mother earlier, and she voiced her concerns about your friendship with Jinyoung. I have to admit that his interest in you is quite peculiar, and the fact that the Wang boy was dating him a couple of days ago, and now-”

“We are friends, Jinyoung and I. His relationship with Jackson wasn’t a deeply romantic one, so they parted ways amicably. Jinyoung doesn’t resent me for it, or anything. I understand why my mom is worried, but it’s not like he’s cooking some evil plan to avenge Jiyeong. He has a reason for not being Dorine Tuan’s fan, and I can’t blame him for it. You guys keep hiding the truth from the kid, so in his eyes my mom will always be the bad guy of this whole story. Anyways, since I’m not the one responsible for his parents’ divorce, he has no intention of making me a target. You don’t have to worry about me. Just look after your wife, sir.” Mark said at once, trying to sound convincing, but nothing of what he said undid the frown on his stepdad’s forehead.

“Come with me. I have something to show you at the garage.” Taek-geun said as he signaled Mark to follow him. The teenager was a bit hesitant, but he did what he was told. When they got there, Taek-geun showed him a car that he hadn’t seen on the driveway of the Lim’s residence before.

“Whose car is that?”

“Now it’s yours.” Taek-geun handed him the keys, but Mark didn’t take them.

“Excuse me?” Mark eyed him in disbelief.

“It’s a gift, son.” The man smiled a bit.

“I’m not your son, and I don’t want any gift from you.”

“But it’s yours now.” The man interjected, unaffected by Mark’s response. “I bought it for Jin as a birthday gift months ago. I threw a big party for the twins here, but Jinyoung never showed up. He celebrated at the mansion with his mother and grandfather. It was obvious that Jaebeom wanted to be with his brother, but still, he stayed here, and blew out their birthday candles by himself.” Mr. Lim’s expression suddenly looked sad.

“He’s back. You can still give it to him. Why give it to me?” The uneasy teenager asked, as Mr. Lim came closer to him, took hold of one of his hands and put the keys in it.

“He doesn’t deserve it. I’m not going to spoil him just because he’s back. I know he went through a rough path because of Jiyeong’s illness, but nothing justifies what he did to Kirin High’s library or to that Choi kid who used to date his brother. I will give him some time to redeem himself. But now I want you to have the car. You are the one who brought my son home, Mark. He said it himself.”

“Sorry, I can’t accept it. I can’t even drive.” Mark muttered, feeling unsettled.

“Dorine said you had a license back in America.”

“Was this her idea?” Mark shook his head in denial. “No, it cannot be.”

“She doesn’t know about this. Look, I just think that since you are the oldest teenager of the house, you should have a car of your own. Jinyoung and Jaebeom use the same car all the time. They practically go to the same places together. You seem to be a more private kid.” Mr. Lim said pensively.

“It’s no use, give it to someone else. After the accident, my hands are not that good…I-I just I can’t drive.” Mark stuttered in a distressed tone. His stepfather looked concerned for a while.

“I had no idea. Did you look for a doctor to-”

“Listen, when I get behind the wheel of a car, I can’t even manage to turn the key in the ignition to start it. I don’t want the fucking thing!” Mark threw the car keys on the floor of the garage, crossed his arms around his chest and looked down.

“Get in the car, kid. We’ll just ride around the neighborhood for some hours. We don’t need to go too far. I’m sure you’re just out of practice.” Mr. Lim insisted, noticing the boy’s twitchiness.

“Do you wanna die?!” Mark looked baffled.

“Don’t be dramatic, it’s just a car, not a nuclear bomb.” The man said casually.

“Well, not unless I’m the one driving it.”

“No one is gonna die, Mark.” His stepfather said in a softer tone as he picked up the keys from the floor and put it in the pocket of the teenager’s hoodie.

“How can you be so sure of that?!” the teenager bit his lower lip anxiously.

“We’ll never know if we don’t try it.” His stepfather said, as he opened the door of the car, sat on the passenger seat and waited for Mark to join him.

“My mother will kill you when she learns about this.” An uncertain Mark said, as he got inside the car and sat on the driver seat. He took the keys out of his pocket and side eyed Mr. Lim, who gave him a reassuring smile.

“I believe you can do whatever you want to do, as long as you believe that you can, kid.”

“Why are you doing this? You’re not even my fucking father.” Mark’s eyes watered.

“And I don’t mean to replace him in your life. I just hope we can be friends. It never crossed my mind to outdo Raymond, he’ll always be your dad.”

“And what a shitty dad he was.” Mark sniffled. His stepfather eyed him worriedly.

“Mark-”

“You should’ve seen him when I came out. They way he looked at me, like I was a piece of trash. You and him are completely different. You have two gay sons and I haven’t seen you complain about it. My dad had a lot to say when I announced that I was dating a guy.” Mark exhaled, as tears stained his cheeks. Mr. Lim put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically.

“Mark, you have to understand that not every parent is ready to-”

“Raymond certainly wasn’t ready! I don’t think he would ever be ready. But the truth is, he kinda expected it from me. I was the family’s black sheep, the rebel without a cause. I was the one with bad grades, with bad temper, with the body covered in tattoos, and with bad taste in music. My little brother was their perfect son, the talented angel, the piano prodigy. I never heard Joey curse, not even once. He was always so polite, obedient and kindhearted. He was the total opposite of me. He was the one who convinced my parents to invite my boyfriend for dinner once. Of course, the dinner went downhill pretty quickly because I wouldn’t let Raymond nor Dorine talk shit about Eric at the table, but the fact that they wanted to meet my lover was a great progress. All because of Joey.” Mark suddenly started talking nonstop. Mr. Lim had never seen him so eloquent. He thought that was a good sign, he really wanted to hear what the teenager had to say.

“Dorine usually refuses to talk about Raymond. I didn’t know things were that bad.”

“They’d often attended Joey’s recitals, people constantly complimented him, he was the one with a brilliant career ahead of him. Mom and dad were so proud! But I never gave them a reason to be proud of me. They were often called at school because I used to get into fights a lot. A teacher at my school advised them to find me some activity that would enable me to control my emotions, properly channel my anger. So they made me try Martial Arts. But I only did it for a while. I guess I didn’t have enough discipline to follow certain rules.” Mark kept talking about the past and Mr. Lim had no intention of stopping him. He felt like his stepson really needed someone to listen to him.

“I’m sure they were just trying to help.” He consoled him.

“Well, as a result I broke two of Joey’s fingers.” Mark said bitterly. “Do you know what it means to break a pianist’s fingers? Actually, I was showing him some moves and I really didn’t mean it, but you can imagine my parents’ reaction. My brother didn’t blame me, but I had to promise him I’d never throw a punch at anyone, ever again. Eventually his fingers healed, but I honored my promise. That’s how the fights at school stopped.”

“It sounds to me you guys were pretty tight.” His stepfather commented as he eyed him attentively.

“Yeah, but I killed him.” Mark closed his eyes, as guilt washed over him.

“Mark, it was an accident. Deep down, you know it was.” Taek-geun assured him, as Mark opened his eyes and turned to him.

“I don’t know. I fought a lot with dad. I would never let him have the last word. God, I was unstoppable. We would never agree on anything. In several occasions, I wished he was dead.” Mark’s sorrowful tone broke his heart.

“Do you know how many troubled kids at Kirin High school keep saying things like this every single day? Yet, most of the time, I know they really don’t mean it.” Mr. Lim gave him an understanding look. Mark sighed.

“Since the accident, I keep remembering the rare good times we spent together, and I feel like an asshole for having wasted so much time arguing with him. I should’ve been more like Joey, I could’ve pleased him more, I could’ve tried to be the son he wanted me to be. But, there’s nothing I can do now. And I can’t help but miss him. I miss him a lot, I miss both of them.” Mark cried his eyes out and when Taek-geun wrapped him in a hug the kid didn’t push him away.

“It’s okay, Mark. It’s gonna be okay. You don’t have to be anyone or anything you are not. Being yourself is enough. I’m sure your father just thought that he knew what was best for you. Every parent is like that. Don’t blame yourself. Cry as much as you want. Let it all out. I’m here for you.” Mr. Lim said to him and the teenager couldn’t help but cry even more. His stepfather just patted his back, feeling his own body shake with the teenager’s sobs. He wished he could take his pain away just by lending him a shoulder to cry on.

When Mark finally stopped crying, he buckled up, he inserted the key in the ignition, and put the gearstick in the P position. His hands trembled, but he managed to successfully turn on the car. The noise of the motor made him flinch. His foot anxiously searched for the gas pedal, but for some reason, he couldn’t find it. That irritated him to no extent. However, when his stepdad put a hand on his knee and told him that they could try it next time, the boy relaxed.

“Today’s lesson is over. Next time you can drive us to school.” He said with a kind smile. Mark couldn’t help but smile a bit too.

“Thanks.” The teenager said almost inaudible.

“What for?” Mr. Lim asked as he opened the door of the car.

“I didn’t think I could do it, but you made believe that I could. And I started the car.” Mark sounded embarrassed, but grateful as well.

“You can do a lot more than that kid. You don’t have to let the past hold you back. It’s never late to move on. Just know that I’ll do my best to support any decision you make.” Taek-geun grinned at the boy and continued. “As long as they are legal, of course.”

“It’s not like I’m gonna start fires and threaten kids younger than me.” Mark added in a lighter tone.

“I’m almost sure Dorine wouldn’t approve that kind of behavior.” Mr. Lim smirked. His humorous expression resembled Jinyoung’s a bit, and for the first time the American realized they were really father and son.

“Maybe we should let her discipline Jinyoungie.” The teenager suggested comically.

“Or maybe, I should let you practice Martial Arts with him. That rascal definitely needs an ass whooping once in a while.” Mr. Lim chuckled as the boy eyed him incredulously. Mark couldn’t believe that the principal of Kirin High School had just said ‘ass’.

Mark laughed, then they both laughed and the garage of the Lim’s residence somehow, became warmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone there believes Jinson will make Mark forget JB?XD


	18. Beggin' on My Knees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the troubled throuple continues...

When Jinyoung arrived from school, he was surprised to see that JB wasn’t in his room. He knew his twin had spent the night somewhere with Youngjae’s, but it was already 4PM and he hoped to see him home. He was curious to know if they had gotten back together. He tried to call his brother, but he would only get voicemail. He couldn’t help but worry.

When Jinyoung decided to go to his room, he found Mark playing on the computer. The American didn’t notice his presence there since he had his headphones on and he seemed totally absorbed in the online game he was playing. Jinyoung just watched him for a while, and suddenly realized how much he missed him. He spent the whole day without seeing the older or listening to his voice, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit lonely without Mark at school. Bambam and Yugyeom did comment about his forlorn expression at lunch, but Jinyoung just dismissed their worries. He knew that Jackson had gone on a date with Mark and he internally cursed his father for suspending his two boyfriends at the same time. He promised himself that next time Mark or Jackson got in trouble at school, he would immediately step in and do whatever he could to get suspended with them. He also wanted to go on a date with Mark and the fact that Jackson would be the only one able to flaunt their relationship in people’s faces bothered him to no extent. He craved for that too, but Jinyoung wouldn’t risk causing a scandal that could send Mark back to America.

The Hongkonger’s social media was already full of pictures with his date with Mark and he even showed off the couple bracelets they bought at the mall. The gorgeous pair looked happy and dozens of their classmates from Kirin High were spreading hashtags like #marksonforever or #marksonisluv. Jinyoung wondered if he should’ve warned Jackson not to go all out like that. Certainly, not every student at school would be a supporter of the first openly gay couple among them. He knew that Dorine and his father would probably have something to say about that, but Taek-geun wouldn’t dare to expel his stepson and his boyfriend at that point. It would be too hypocritical of him to get rid of two students just because of their sexual orientation. After all, both his sons were gay.

The Korean watched his stepbrother a bit more, and when his eyes travelled to the bracelet around the American’s wrist, he quickly looked away. That thing made his stomach turn. He wondered if Mark was already falling for Jackson. He feared that soon there wouldn’t be enough space for the three of them in a bed, and that maybe he would be the one left out. He wanted to ask the older how he felt about his date with Jackson and if he would like to have a date with him too, but the younger told himself that he wasn’t that desperate. He would wait for Mark to make the first move. So, he decided not to bother him. He just sat at the writing desk beside his bed, opened his books and started doing his homework.

He was already immersed in his studies when his chair was abruptly turned around. He was about to protest, but Mark’s cinnamon eyes immediately silenced him.

“How come I didn’t see you get in? How long have you been there?” the older asked, as he kneeled in front of Jinyoung’s chair. The Korean loved to hear the heavy English accent in his pronunciation. It was probably the result of too many hours of online gaming. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder if Jackson and his stepbrother had spent the whole day talking in a foreign language that he could not comprehend.

“I got here a couple of minutes ago. I saw you playing and I didn’t wanna interrupt your fun.” Jinyoung replied, enthralled by the face he missed the whole day.

“We can have fun together.” Mark suggested, as he put his headphones on his lap. The Korean sighed in frustration.

“I don’t have time for this, Mark. I have to study for an exam.” The younger stated as he put the headphones on the writing desk.

“Oh, okay.” The older said a bit dejected as he moved to get up from the floor. However, Jinyoung grabbed his wrist with such a strength that the older lost his balance and ended up falling onto his lap. The American blushed and tried to get up, but Jinyoung held him by the waist to keep him there.

“Why are you blushing? We’re boyfriends now, remember?” Jinyoung said, as he buried his face in the elder’s neck. He felt a shiver run down his spine when his stepbrother’s smell invaded his nostrils. Mark didn’t move anymore, he just allowed the younger to explore his neck. He could feel his own heartbeats accelerate. He anxiously waited for his Korean boyfriend’s return and now that he was so close to him he couldn’t help but succumb to his touches.

“How was your day?” Mark asked shyly, trying not to like too much the fact that he was sitting on Jinyoung’s lap while the younger’s lips caressed his neck and shoulder.

“Boring. I bet yours was better than mine.” Jinyoung whispered against his skin, as he slid his hands under Mark’s shirt and caressed his stomach. His lips never left the older’s neck, he was already sucking on the sensitive skin. Mark moaned in response.

“You weren’t there.” Mark said in a strained voice, trying to control the urge to turn Jinyoung’s face to him just to capture his lips. They were alone in the house, but Jaebeom could arrive at any moment.

“Did you miss me much? Well, I’m here now. Show me how much you missed me.” Jinyoung said as he slipped one of his hands inside the American’s pants. The older stopped his advances before his fingers crawled underneath his underwear.

“What are you doing? We can’t do this here.” Mark sounded alarmed. Only then, Jinyoung finally abandoned his neck just to have a better look at him.

“You spent a whole day with Jack and now I can’t even touch you where I want to?” The Korean looked offended.

“We should do something else together too. We are a couple now, we should try each other’s hobbies, try new hobbies together, you know, learn more about each other. Sex is not everything.” Mark said tentatively as he caressed his cheek.

“No, Mark. We’re a throuple. You can do all kinds of coupley things with Jack. You can buy him flowers, have romantic picnics, go on a bike ride, work on a freakin’ puzzle, go canoeing, watch the sunset on a fucking beach, but when you come home, babe, you are mine. All mine.” Jinyoung stated firmly as he eyed his boyfriend with determination. Mark was completely lost in his magnetic eyes when the younger carried him to bed and started kissing his lips passionately. The way the younger pressed his body against him, made the American forget everything he planned to say to the Korean. As soon as Mark felt Jinyoung’s ring tongue dance around the corners of his mouth, he wasn’t able to formulate any more complaints. However, when the younger tried to remove the bracelet from his wrist, Mark pushed his hands away.

“Don’t.” he said, as he gave the other a warning look.

“Are you gonna wear this stupid thing all the time?” Jinyoung became irritated. Jealousy was clearly eating at him.

“Jack told me not to take it off, ever.” Mark said softly, as he remembered how carefully the Hongkonger put the bracelet on his wrist and gently kissed it, after promising Mark that he’d always be with him. The Korean hated to see the fond expression on his face while he talked about the Hongkonger.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Jinyoung exclaimed, as he reached for his arm again, but Mark shoved him off him roughly, making him fall on the floor.

“What’s your problem?!” Mark asked, starting to lose his temper with the younger. He got up from the bed to check if Jinyoung had gotten hurt, but the Korean only pulled his leg and made him fall on the floor too. They wrestled on the floor, fighting for dominance, till they were both out of breath and just laid on the ground beside each other.

“You’re not as weak as you look, babe. How was your date?” Jinyoung asked out of the blue, trying to catch his breath.

“It was going pretty well till Youngjae and Jaebeom showed up.”

“Jackson told me.”

“Geez, you guys are unable to keep secrets from each other.” Mark rolled his eyes at him.

“He also told me you left him at the theater and suggested a Jack2Jae threesome.”

“What does this even mean?” The older squinted his eyes at him.

“Jack fucks my brother while my brother fucks Jae. Damn, it’s kinda disgusting to even think of it. I don’t wanna imagine JB doing that kind of stuff with anyone. Shit, I might have nightmares tonight.” Jinyoung made a face, and put a hand on his head, trying to get rid of that repulsive thought.

“They looked good as a couple, I mean 2Jae. You know, they give off this feeling of a real couple.”

“Are we talking about the monogamous aspect of their relationship or the public displays of affection?”

“I’m talking about love. I saw their connection and I envied them. I wish I had that too.” Mark explained as he remembered how confidently Jaebeom took Youngjae’s hand in his at the movie theater. It was the second time he did that in front of Mark. The first time was at Yugyeom’s house. The American could barely watch that reunion moment. He thought he did right to give up on him.

“It’s the madness thing then.” The younger huffed, as he stared at the ceiling above them.

“What?!” Mark blinked several times as he turned his head to face him.

“The special kind of madness that only involves two lovers. You told me that one day, and I wasn’t able to get it out of my mind since then.” Jinyoung revealed, taking the American by surprise.

“I can’t believe you remember that. How come?” Mark tone was hopeful as he put a hand on the younger’s chest.

“The silliness of such idea is striking.” Jinyoung chuckled, though he didn’t think any of it was funny.

“Why do you do this?” Mark asked with a tinge of disappointment in his voice as he sat up on the floor. Jinyoung simply sighed and ignored his question.

“Jackson asked me to tell you to call him. Stop ignoring his calls. He won’t be able to sleep if you don’t forgive him. The idea of a double date wasn’t such a big deal anyway.” the Korean quickly changed the subject and kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling emotionlessly. Mark gazed at him, yet, nothing in his semblance denounced his real feelings.

“I don’t like this.” Mark declared as he kept examining the younger’s features. “You continuously confuse me and make me wonder all kinds of things. You keep sending me all the wrong signals. You say stuff, then you take them back, or make fun of me. You look at me with those sparkly eyes and make me think that there’s something really meaningful in them, but then those sparks swiftly disappears. We have sex, you cum on me, in me and it’s like you have all of me, but I get nothing from you. You say my concept of love is silly, but you somehow managed to remember it. You say you’re not cut out for this shit and you still agreed to be in this relationship. You say that I’m yours, that I’m the best you’ve ever had and I’m unable to call you mine. You make me feel all kinds of feelings and most of them are just too much!” Mark protested, obviously annoyed by his stepbrother’s behavior.

"What do you want from me, Mark, huh? You keep pushing, don't you? You expect me to say I'm madly in love with you or something? Wasn't it exciting enough to make an incorrigible guy like Wang fall for your charms, turn him into your puppet and force the guy to commit himself to you? Let me guess, now that you trapped him you, he doesn’t seem so interesting, all that tamed and monogamous, right?! So you feel that you desperately need to move on to the next great impossible conquest. Me." Jinyoung sounded judgmental, he was used to attack to build his defense. That was the only strategy he used not to talk about his real feelings. The American immediately tried to explain himself.

"No, of course not! I never planned to seduce him or anything. It was never my intention to-"

"Just because you already conquered Jack you see me like an irresistible challenge for you. You want to fucking play with me for a while, imprison me, and throw the damn key away. But, I assure you, stepbrother, that's never gonna happen! I'm not that stupid!" Jinyoung just wished to stop that argument.

"What are you talking about? I would never play with your feelings or-"

"You’re volatile. I'm not into this kind of childish game, okay? Forget it. First you end things with your American boyfriend, then you go after my brother, and now you're fucking me and Jackson at the same time! What the hell!? You're probably still infatuated with Jaebeom just because you didn't have a chance to sleep with him! And we both know you cannot compete with Youngjae. That must be eating you alive." Jinyoung unfairly accused the older, knowing too well that Mark was obviously the gullible one in that story.

"It's not like that! I didn't break up with Eric! He broke up with me after you fucking made me believe that I had cheated on him! I was devastated! I didn't initiate anything with JB, okay?! He was the one who kissed me first, and I pulled away from him. I was surprised at first, but the second time he did it, I just let it happen! And I'm not sure why! I was mad at Eric for breaking up with me and I felt like shit for not remembering my freakin' first time! I barely knew you back then, and I hated myself for being such an idiot! I had no idea you had drugged me, and lied about that one-night stand at the party. I was lonely and hurt. I wasn't looking for another relationship to jump into! Jaebeom was there for me! And I felt like I could rely on him, give myself to him. I don’t know, I can't explain it! Suddenly he became more than my Korean stepbrother and I started developing feelings for him, but he wasn't ready to accept them. It was frustrating. Then you approached me, and that night at _Why Not?_ just happened! I never thought I'd lose my virginity that way. Do you think I was really looking for a threesome? But I liked it, and it was hot and fun! You and Jack were my first time, and I felt that it was okay to be with you two. I agreed to this throuple thing because you guys made me feel safe and wanted somehow, I just-"

"As a matter of fact, I was your first time." Jinyoung corrected him, in order to remind his stepbrother that he was the one who bottomed for him and topped him first, right before Jackson. Mark blushed.

"Now you're gonna rub in my face that I got attached to you just because of that! But that's not-"

"There's this weird thing with you that you have to know that you're needed and loved all the time. It seems to be the only way you can prove to yourself that you are worth! Why do you need a guy's validation to feel good about yourself? It's time for a bit of self-reflection, babe. You do lack emotional maturity and that needs to be addressed at some point. Perhaps you should seek help! Mama Tuan would love to listen to your whining. But not me, Mark! You’re in this chronic pursuit of the perfect prince charming and you never get the chance to establish a deeper connection with anyone. Or perhaps, you're just seeking to fuck a lot of guys to forget dear Eric!" Jinyoung knew that wasn’t the case either, but he had to manipulate Mark into believing that there was something wrong with him, while the Korean himself hid behind his pathological fear of falling in love.

"That's not true! I'm not like that! I'm not-"

"A slut?!" Jinyoung said mercilessly. The American inhaled, and tried not to look too offended. Yet, he felt like breaking all the teeth in his stepbrother’s mouth.

"That's how you see me? Because it's clear that you're not in this relationship because you like me! Is it just my body then?" Mark sounded angry and hurt.

"Jackson is my best friend, and if you think I'm gonna let you fuck with his head, well, think again, babe. You'd better treat him right." The younger avoided his gaze and refused to properly answer that question.

"Answer me, Park Jinyoung! Am I just a piece of meat you that you enjoy blowing your load on-"

"Shut up! Shut up! I never said that!" The Korean hissed, as he forcefully gripped the nape of his stepbrother's neck and kissed him roughly. His advances were quickly put to an end when the older brutally bit the pierced skin around his tongue ring. Jinyoung made a painful noise and released him immediately.

"Do that again and I'll bite your fucking tongue off, or worse." Mark warned as he stood up and went to the door. Yet, before his hand touched the door handle, the other started speaking again. Mark then turned around to face him.

"You'll turn 18 this year, and as soon as it happens you'll take off to America. We both know that. No one can stop you when the time comes. Is it worth putting my heart on the line for someone who doesn't plan to stay in a relationship for the long run? Since you arrived in this country, all you wanted was to run away from it. You even wanted me to tell our parents we were fucking so you could be sent back to L.A! Do you remember that, Mark? I thought you were a fucking lunatic. You suggested it so casually, without even thinking of the consequences...I didn't even have the chance to blackmail you! Have you ever stopped to think about the kind of power you have over Jack, JB or me? You want me to love you, but you're not ready to take responsibility for it." Jinyoung said as he stared hard at him. His magnetic eyes penetrated his soul. They were never so alive. But before Mark could do or say anything, a knock on the door interrupted the pair. Since Mark was the one closer to the door, he quickly opened it.

Jaebeom stood there. He eyed them quizzically. Mark bit his lower lip and looked away. JB's presence disconcerted him, it never failed to. Jinyoung slowly got up from the floor and briskly asked what he wanted. JB frowned at his tone, but told Jinyoung to follow him to his room. The younger complied, leaving an apprehensive Mark behind.

As soon as the twins got into JB's bedroom, Mark glued his ear to their closed door. He didn't mean to be nosy, but he really wanted to know what JB had been up to.

_"Those are Jackson's clothes he's wearing, right?"_ the American heard Jaebeom ask.

_"Yes they are. That's why you called me here? To ask me about our stepbrother's outfit?"_ Jinyoung didn’t even try to hide his annoyance. He was obviously mad about the fact that JB interrupted his and Mark’s heart-to-heart.

_"I met them at the movie theater today."_

_"So?"_ Jinyoung asked coldly. Mark didn’t have to see his face to know that the younger wasn’t in the mood for chit-chat.

_"You're really okay with it?"_

_"Jackson's happiness is my happiness."_ Jinyoug said quickly.

_"If your friend hurts Mark, I'll kill him. You know that, right?"_

_"Duly noted. Now tell me, where the hell have you been, other than the movies?"_

_"I took Jae to the mansion. He's staying there for a while. His whole family moved back to Mokpo years ago and he has no place to stay at the moment. Before he came to Seoul, he thought that he could stay with a distant cousin of his who lives in the city, but since the guy got married, the room that was supposed to be his, turned into the baby's room."_

_"Does grandfather knows about that?"_

_"Yes, I called him. I'm going to stay with Jae there for a few days, so he can settle in-"_

_"Wow, it's been only 24 hours since he’s arrived and you're already moving in with the kid. Have you bought him an engagement ring already?"_ Jinyoung’s sarcasm was clear.

_"Don't be ridiculous. There's nothing going on between us."_

_"Not yet?"_

" _We're taking things slow. We have a lot to talk about. Something tells me that he hasn't been single all this time. Plus, I didn't tell him about Mark yet."_

_"Don't be stupid. Telling him about this supposed attraction that you feel for our stepbrother would be a terrible mistake. You don't know how the kid will react to this. It's a risk that you shouldn't take. Just pick up where you two left off. Youngjae wouldn't come back here if he didn't love you. Trust me brother, Mark has moved on-"_

_"He told me that he just accepted to date Jackson because he thought I rejected him."_

_"And you didn't?"_

_"It wasn't like that. He got it all wrong."_

_"Maybe that's for the best. We cannot ignore the fact that his mother is married to our father. Investing in a romantic relationship with your stepsibling is not easy. Would you be ready to face a lifetime of social scorn? You'd have to disappear from this city, seriously. Imagine how bad this would look for Kirin High school's principal! Father would never let this shit happen under his roof, and imagine what grandfather would-"_

_"Will you please shut up, Jin?!"_

_"I'm just looking out for you, Beom-ah! He doesn't understand our culture, he certainly doesn't give two shits about what would happen to our family. He will fly to The U. S. as soon as he realizes you're not worth the trouble."_

Mark couldn't believe what he had just heard. He felt like murdering Jinyoung at that very moment. He just couldn't listen to that conversation anymore, so he just grabbed his jacket and went to Yugyeom's house. As expected, the maknae simply let him in, but since his parents were home, they went to his room.

"Since you know the Lims much longer than I do, I was hoping you could give me some advice." Mark was extremely shaken up. Jinyoung’s words were like knives that repetitively stabbed his heart.

"Last time you came, Jackson didn’t even let us talk, perhaps now is a good time. And since I heard you apologized to Youngjae, I'm all ears, hyung." The maknae said sympathetically, offering him a kind smile.

"Okay, look, if this sounds too disturbing and you get uncomfortable in some way, just say so, all right?" Mark warned the younger, struggling to find the right words to say what he wanted.

"I'm Bambam's best buddy. I know weird, and I've seen really fucked up shit-"

"I had a threesome with Jinyoung and Jackson. But I kinda have feelings for Jaebeom, and he seemed to like me too, till Youngjae showed up. Jinyoung is being an asshole and treating me like crap and I hate the way he makes me feel. Jackson seems to really love me and I really appreciate his honesty, but everyone says it's not going anywhere because he's not boyfriend material. I feel like I might fall hard for him at some point, yet, I'm scared to get hurt. I got involved with these guys and only now I realize how fucked up all that sounds." Mark said at once, and the wide eyed teenager was simply rendered speechless. Before a long, torturous minute, Yugyeom seemed to recover from his shock, but it was another voice who echoed in the room and startled them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *suspense*  
> Who might that be??XD


	19. WOLO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New rules are added to the throuple's relationship...

"Jesus Fuckin Christ! Did you just say that you had a threesome with Jackson Freakin' Wang and your stepbrother Park Jinyoung?!" An agitated Bambam exclaimed, as he closed the door behind him and jumped on the maknae's bed, making Mark and Yugyeom almost fall from it.

"My parents let you in?" Yugyeom asked, not really surprised to see his friend there.

"We're practically married, honey. Why wouldn't they let their son-in-law come up here? It's our love nest anyway." Bambam said jokingly, as the Korean gave him a dirty look.

"Honestly, I can do better." The Korean said smugly.

"Are you two together?" Mark looked curious now as he observed their interaction.

"No way! Bam is bi, I'm straight. But he keeps thinking he can convert me." Yugyeom declared, as he playfully smacked his friend's arm.

"Cute." Mark whispered as he watched the two. He almost forgot about his own problems.

"Hey, don't change the subject, Markie! I know you’re dating Jack now, but how did you get Jinyoung involved in all this? Holy shit! That’s wild, man. A threesome with your stepbrother is some serious business. How did you manage to achieve such a feat? I mean, Jackson is like Jinyoung's eternal partner, and as far as I know, the young Lim is the only one who can fuck his ass." Bambam was extremely anxious to hear the whole story, with all its gory details.

"Why do you have to talk like this, Bam?" Yugyeom didn't sound shocked by his friend's choice of words, he was already used to it. But Mark was there, and he couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the way the Thai boy expressed himself. Mark was older, a hyung, but Bambam never felt like following most of the rules of Korea's so-called age hierarchy system. The boy didn't mean to be rude or disrespectful, he was just being his true self, and at school most of his classmates didn't hold that against him, after all, he was a foreigner.

"I don't mind." Mark wasn't really bothered by the kid's straightforwardness. "Answering your question Bam, I never topped Jackson. It was the other way around." Mark revealed a bit embarrassed.

"I thought so." Bam nodded to himself.

"So Jinyoung made Jack his private bitch or something?" The American didn't like that. He was also Jackson’s boyfriend, and he was not happy with the idea of having limited access to the Hongkonger’s body.

"Jack and I are pretty tight so...He tells me things." Bambam gave him a teasing look.

"That you're not supposed to gossip about." The maknae added, giving him a reproving look. "You do know that Mark hyung and Jackson hyung are a couple now. Why tell him this kind of stuff?" Yugyeom glared at his Thai friend.

"Actually, we're a throuple now. In the eyes of the society, Jack is the only boyfriend I have. Behind closed doors, Jinyoung gets the chance to join us." Mark added, and Bambam squealed with joy. Yugyeom swallowed hard.

"You Americans are so rad!" The Thai boy exclaimed as he bounced on the bed.

"Jinyoung hyung is your stepbrother." Yugyeom frowned at Mark. He didn’t look as excited as Bambam.

"I told you this could sound a bit awkward-"

"Just end things with him. Keep Jackson if you want, and whatever was going on between you and Lim Jaebeom, it’s gonna be over now anyway. Thank God Youngjae hyung is back." Yugyeom was clearly uncomfortable with that topic.

"What the heck! Stop being a prude, YG! They're healthy consenting teenagers driven by their boiling sex hormones. We only live once, you know what I’m saying? Life is a party, man. It’s all about taking risks and having fun. We gotta make the most of it. Why not take advantage of awesome opportunities that are presented to them while they’re young and beautiful? You’re just cranky because you’re not getting any." Bambam said energetically, but his friend's disapproving expression didn't change, so he continued. "Plus, they're not even related by blood. This is not really incest, I mean, it shouldn't be considered a sin, right? Are you even religious?" Bambam shook his head as he eyed his friend uneasily.

"It doesn't matter. Mark hyung came here seeking for advice and that's what I'm doing right now, advising him. I feel entitled to be as honest as I can. He's walking a dangerous path right now and he's not even aware of it. As the only Korean in this room, I'm just offering my inevitably biased point of view, and I'm pretty sure that it corroborates with the opinion of many in this country. I don't know about the kind of lifestyle you led back in LA, but you're not there anymore. This is not America, hyung." Yugyeom sounded serious, and for the first time Mark pondered the severity of his situation.

"Shit, you sound like an old man right now." The Thai commented a bit taken aback. Yugyeom carried on with his speech.

"The fact that Jackson is already flaunting his relationship with you for all to see is already troublesome. We don't know yet how you guys are going to be welcomed at Kirin High when the suspension is over. I'm really sorry to say that, but you gotta watch out for your manners. The Chois and the Lims knew about Jae and Jaebeom hyung's relationship, but it was a veiled secret kept by both families. Youngjae and Jaebeom dated for quite some time and they both managed to tone it down, you know? No one in school ever learned about their relationship except for Got6. As for Jackson hyung, he slept with half of the school, but no one was ever able to see him actually frenching someone in the cafeteria or masturbating a classmate under their desk in the middle of the class."

"Were there rumors like that?" Mark looked flabbergasted.

"He did worse my friend." Bambam added, smiling to himself.

"How many guys-"

"Bam was one of them." A smirking Yugyeom said, in a softer tone, as he pinched his friend's side. Bambam giggled in response.

"You slept with Jackson?!" Mark suddenly felt betrayed, and he didn't even know why.

"Come on, Mark. It was just some minutes of heavy petting. But we were too drunk to take things further. It was kind of weird the next day to be honest, and we promised each other to forget it ever happened. Fortunately the incident didn't hinder our friendship."

"Okay. Most of his past flings study at Kirin High. Anyone else that I know? Maybe a classmate of yours? Or mine? Apart from you, who else?" Mark wanted to know everything about the Hongkonger's adventures at that point. He couldn’t believe he was letting himself be blinded by jealousy, but he didn’t care less at that point.

"None other than Lim-"

"Bam, stop." Yugyeom warned, his serious tone was back.

"Just tell me, okay! Lim Park Jinyoung is his official top. What else is new?" Mark was aware of the young Lim's involvement with Jackson. That was yesterday news, he just wanted the list of every single student Jackson had slept with. Was that too much to ask?! He didn’t think so.

"Maybe you should ask your boyfriend." Bambam said awkwardly, as if he reminded himself that he was crossing the line.

"I have the right to know guys, come on! I bet everyone in Got6 knows about it. I'm part of the gang now. This is Got7!" Mark almost begged to know what made the maknaes so tense.

"The other hyungs know." Yugyeom confirmed, as the frown on his forehead slowly disappeared. He eyed his Thai friend with uncertainty. Before he could make up his mind, Bambam opened his big mouth.

"Jackson was JB's first time. Hell, he must have been everybody's first time at Kirin High. Even the straight guys can't resist him. Even some members of the soccer team are not immune to him. I love my Hongkonger bro, but, honestly, he’s a sex machine! I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he was Jinyoung's first guy too! That's why I didn't believe that he's serious about this relationship of yours. He seems to be obsessed with this family! First Jaebeom, than his twin, and now the American stepbrother! He's been in bed with all the Lim brothers, including you! Look, you are a Got7 member now, so I think you should know what to expect from him. I'm sorry, if it upsets you.” Bambam took a deep breath and continued. “But anyways, he says he is serious about you, so let’s see what happens. Just don’t take it to the heart all the stuff I babbled here, okay?" Bambam said it at once, and Mark's expression denounced the boiling anger he was feeling at that moment.

"Bam, you just dug your own grave, my stupid friend." Yugyeom sighed in frustration.

"Jackson Wang and Lim Jaebeom?" Mark said out loud. The sentence escaped from his lips like a sip of venom he had just regurgitated.

"Hyung, just take it easy now, okay?" The maknae started, as he noticed the look on Mark's face and wondered how bad the older had taken those news. Neither him nor Bambam were able to convince him to calm down when the American abruptly marched out of the room and ran out of the front door.

~~~~~~~~~~

Jackson waited for Mark's call the whole afternoon, but his boyfriend just decided to show up at his door in the evening. The Hongkonger seemed relieved to see him, he was sad about their argument. It was their first, and that made him anxious and insecure. The fact that the counselor of Kirin High stopped by his house and gave him an ultimatum made his anguish grow even larger. He wondered if Mark had already talked to his mother. He feared what he had to say about their new situation.

When a quiet Mark hurriedly walked past him, entered the living room and simply sat on the couch, Jackson decided to test the waters.

"Are you still mad about the double date?" the younger asked.

"I'm mad about a lot of things, Jackie. Especially your story with the Lims."

"Excuse me?"

"You and Lim Jaebeom." Mark hissed.

"Mark I don't understand-"

"You fucked him!" The American seethed, as he glared at his boyfriend.

"Says who?" Jackson was clearly perturbed.

"Does it matter?! You were his first and you hid it from me!" Mark accused unreasonably.

"Honey, calm down. It only happened once, and it was a dumb mistake. Why would I tell you something like this? Seriously, it was no big deal. I didn't think it would matter to you since it happened centuries ago. It's not something I am proud of and neither is he! Relax, it's not like I cheated on you or anything!" The Hongkonger struggled to understand the reason for his explosion as he sat beside him on the sofa.

"Am I just another Lim you have conquered? Am I just another fuck-"

"Hey! Hey, Markiepoo. You're being ridiculous. I told you, you are different, and I meant it. You're nothing like the others. You're my guy now, and there's no one else. I swear! I am your boyfriend and I fucking love you!" Jackson said desperately, and Mark couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed. It was the second time Jackson told him that, and this time they weren’t in bed. He felt like he had to say it back and kiss the Hongkonger at that moment, just to make sure he wouldn’t look at anyone else but him, yet the words wouldn’t come out. Mark suddenly felt threatened by all the past affairs his boyfriend had before him. He was convinced that he had to find a way to keep Jackson from cheating on him. However, he had to clarify some things with the Hongkonger first.

"How many?" He demanded.

"What?" Jackson looked confused.

"How many students at Kirin High have you bedded? I want their names, I want their fucking addresses-"

"Yi-en, stop. You're gonna drive yourself crazy. There's no need to be jealous of my past. You are my present and my future." Jackson stated firmly as he held both his hands.

"Then prove it to me." Mark looked deep into his eyes.

"How?" Jackson frowned.

"I want a normal relationship. This throuple thing is not right. We shoud've never started this, anyways. It's supposed to be only you and me, like you had said before. Rule 77, a proper monogamous couple, with full commitment. There's no space for Jinyoung in this. I want only you and you also want only me, right?" The thought of losing Jackson made Mark feel completely insecure at that moment.

"Normal? Right? What are those exactly, sweetie? You do know that those words don't apply to us, right? Homosexuality is not considered normal in this society, does that mean we are aberrations? Being a gay throuple is wrong? Just because we defy the conventional heterosexual pattern of relationships? You do know that what you said doesn't make much sense, don't you?"

"Whatever. Call me old-fashioned then. The truth is, when you preached rule 70 to me, you sounded like you really meant it. Have you changed your mind so soon?" Mark said, as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

"I didn't. But you gave me a month to prove how serious I am about you. I'll stick to that agreement. I won't back down from Jinyoung's challenge. When this trial period is over and I pass the test, he'll leave us." Jackson assured Mark as he tenderly caressed the American’s wrists.

"I bet he'll love to see you fail." Mark shook his head in frustration. "So, which one is better in bed? Me, or the twins?" Mark knew he was being childish, but he couldn't help himself. Jackson swallowed.

"Sweetie, that's not you talking. Was it Jin who told you about JB and I? That's why you're so mad? Is he the one putting stuff in your head?"

"I can think for myself okay? Park Jinyoung can fuck himself!" the older became even more furious when he remembered what his stepbrother had said to JB at the house.

"Mark, you and him were the ones who said yes to this throuple thing. I didn't expect you to agree with it, but you said you didn’t mind. Jin and I are not used to back down from our arrangements. We always honor our deals and stick to rules. That's how we lasted for so long. I can't just go to him now and-"

"Right, you cannot leave him! Because your ass would probably miss his cock!" Mark accused harshly, as he took his hands away from Jackson’s grasp.

"My God, why are you so angry?" the Hongkonger seemed at loss to know how to appease his furious boyfriend.

"How can call you my boyfriend if he’s the only one who can top you!?" The American started again. The younger just stood up, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, it's not like you ever asked." The Hongkonger replied wearily.

"And what if I told you I want to have you now, would simply spread your legs and bend over for me?!"

"Jin and I made a pact. For things to work between us three, we gotta keep things less complicated and set some boundaries. We must know where we stand." Jackson tried to explain himself one more time.

"Let me guess, is it one more decision you guys made without even consulting me? I think we have a problem of communication here." The older protested, still irritated.

"You can disagree if you want to, Markie. Just listen to what I have to say first, okay?"

"Go ahead." The American prepared himself to what he was about to hear.

"Jin can have me whenever he wants as long as I am the only one who tops you." Jackson said simply, hoping that his boyfriend wouldn’t freak out even more.

"What the heck! Are you for real?" Mark yelled now.

"You clearly enjoy bottoming for me and I love to top you. Why change that?" the younger argued. He struggled to find a way to calm the other down, but no idea came to his mind.

"So am I supposed to share you with him while you get pleasure from both of us?" Mark raised his eyebrows at him, but he sounded more hurt than mad now.

"You're clearly not versatile, but you can top Jin if you want. I mean, you obviously like to play the submissive role during sex, but whenever you feel like, you are free to take him." Jackson said at once, without much patience.

"So you are also assuming that I don't like to be the dominant one, I mean, you guys even decided the sexual position I like better?" Mark sounded outraged. He felt like he didn't have a say in that relationship.

"I'm just stating the obvious. There's no shame in it, sweetheart. We all have our preferences. It's not like you're giving up your masculinity or anything.” Jackson said in a careful tone. But Mark simply stood up and walked away from him.

“You don’t get to decide who I fuck or who fucks me.” He said as he was about to leave the living room. However, Jackson was faster and gently grabbed him by the arm. Mark was about to resist him, but the Hongkonger shifted to Mandarin when he started speaking again.

“Markie, I've seen you in bed, you like being told what to do. I'm usually the one who initiates sex, you like being under me, receiving all my love, don't you?" Jackson asked sofly, as he stroked his side, ran his other hand through the older's silky hair, and nuzzled his neck. The American blushed, but relaxed with the contact. That second fight exhausted him, and he just wanted them to be okay again.

"That's not fair. Are you seriously trying to make me agree with this shit by seducing me?" Mark asked weakly, as he felt Jackson’s strong arms wrap around his waist. That proximity was reassuring, and he suddenly felt like if he had to bottom for Jackson for the rest of his life in order to keep him by his side, he would do it.

"Is it working?" The Hongkonger's breath tickled his skin. "Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t you like my cock moving in and out of you, and sometimes down your throat? Don’t you love riding it?" Jackson said erotically, as he came closer to his earlobe and kissed it. He knew how to talk dirty and he knew the effect it had on the older. Mark couldn't help but close his eyes tightly and bite his lower lip. He didn’t have to answer those questions. Jackson was right, he liked to be the one being penetrated during sex. He had already fantasized about being double penetrated by his two boyfriends. He would be a hypocrite if he denied the Hongkonger's assumptions. In fact, he couldn't even think straight anymore, now that Jackson was all over him, nibbling on his collarbone and running his hands on his buttocks. 

"Gaga." Mark whispered, suddenly using the Hongkonger's Chinese nickname. That meant he was aroused. Noticing that his strategy was finally working, Jackson quickly captured his lips to kiss him deeply. Mark received Jackson eager muscle in his mouth and heard his boyfriend groan inside his welcoming moist cave. The younger took his breath away. Mark wrapped his arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, just to listen to Jackson moan into his mouth. The way he pressured his hard on against the American showed how he desperately wanted to have him. Therefore, he shoved the older on the couch and crawled between his legs. Mark laid on his back and waited for the other to ravish him. It didn’t take long for his boyfriend to climb on top of him.

"You already have all of me, Yi-en. All that I am is yours and no one else’s." Jackson declared, as he leaned on the American to caress his cheek. 

"I want you, Jack." Mark confessed urgently, as he stroked the bulge between his boyfriend's legs. "I want you so bad." 

"Tell me where you want me." Jackson asked sexily, in fluent Mandarin.

"Inside." Mark whispered as he hurriedly unbuttoned and unzziped his jeans, but Jackson stopped him. He didn't seem to be in a hurry.

"Let me. It's only the two of us now. We have all the time in the world." The Hongkonger said, as he slowly removed the American's jeans and played with the waistband of his underwear. His teeth and tongue ran along his lower abdomen and navel, while one of his hands caressed the obvious erection under his lover’s boxers. Mark moaned when Jackson took off his own shirt and pants. He immediately attacked the Hongkonger's six-pack abs with his hands and mouth. He sat up a bit to explore his chest and suck on his nipples, making the younger groan in pleasure.

They caressed, rubbed and pressed their bodies against each other still in their underwear. When Jackson whispered in his ear that he loved him and kissed him sweetly and slowly. Mark felt like coming right there. As if Jackson could notice his ecstasy-like stage, his kisses became more urgent, and finally pulled Mark's boxers down to fully stroke his length.

"I'm gonna come too fast if you don't stop touching me there." The American whined. As soon as he heard those words, Jackson increased the speed of his handjob. The moaning American laid on his back as he watched the younger pleasure him. He gripped hard on the edge of the couch and screamed Jackson’s name when he felt his climax approach. His back arched, his toe curled and his body trembled all over as he shot his seed in his boyfriend's hand and stomach. While Mark still tried to catch his breath, Jackson removed his own underwear and used Mark's cum as lube. He coated his hard dick with it, and also spread it all over the elder’s entrance.

"I'm gonna give you plenty of orgasms tonight, my love." The Hongkonger leaned on him, licked his face, and at the same time he inserted a finger inside the American, he sucked on his earlobe. Mark only spread his legs wider, to give more access to the younger and bring their bodies closer. When he felt two fingers scissoring his walls, he grabbed Jackson's face for a deep kiss. He was anxious to have Jackson inside him. He would do whatever was necessary to bind his boyfriend to him. Only to him.

"Just put it in. I can't wait any longer." Mark begged, and his lover complied. Jackson guided his dick into the elder’s entrance and slowly pushed himself inside. Mark's groan was a mixture of want and pain. He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip as he rested his hands on the other’s thighs, signaling him not to move yet. The Hongkonger just waited for him to get used to the invasion. He gripped his lover's hips tightly and lifted one of Mark's legs to rest it on his shoulder. The American moaned with the new angle of penetration and nodded to the younger.

"Tell me if I'm moving too fast, love." Jackson said as he started thrusting in and out of him while taking a firm grip of his dick. The American suddenly became more alive and attentive. Jackson's dick felt so big inside him that he'd always take some time to get used to it. However, when the Hongkonger started whispering obscenities in Mandarin and increased the pace of his thrusts, the older almost choked with pleasure. Jackson's cock hit his sweet spot continuously. 

"Fuck me like you mean it." Mark yelled, as he swiftly changed their positions and pushed Jackson to the couch. The Hongkonger's cock slipped from his hole with the sudden movement. When Mark climbed on top of the surprised younger, he licked his lips in anticipation. Mark didn't take long to sit on his erection and mount him roughly. Jackson loved the new position, he wished Mark could ride him all night long. He could touch Mark all over while the older moved up and down to meet his eager hard cock. The Hongkonger didn't think he could last much with the way that Mark was clenching and tightening around him. But then the American climbed off him, leaving the younger extremely confused again.

"What-"

"Do me in doggy-style, like Jin did to you last time." Mark demanded, as he got down on his hands and knees and spread his legs near the edge of the couch. Jackson didn't think twice. When he witnessed the submissive position, the already abused pinky hole before him, aching to be impaled, he promptly got down on his knees and entered Mark from behind. He loved to be in control, and Mark knew that by now. The older pushed back onto him with each stroke, making the penetration harder. Jackson positioned his legs inside Mark's as he leaned more onto him, grabbed his hair, and pushed his head down. The strong hold on the older's hips was bruising as he pulled Mark into him with each thrust.

"Fuck, my knees hurt." Mark complained weakly. Jackson stopped his movements and withdrew from his behind. The older was already leaking and out of breath when Jackson just turned him around, laid him back on the couch, spread his legs gently and reentered his ass. They were face to face again. The younger stroked Mark's erection again as he increased his pace inside him again.

"I'm gonna come, Markie. I can't take it anymore." Jackson said in a strained voice. His husky tone drove the older to the edge.

"Come inside me, Gaga. Stay deep inside me. Don't let me go." The American begged as he wrapped his legs around his lover tightly and felt his boyfriend's warm seed find home inside him. It was pure bliss. He came right after Jackson, shooting his load on both of them. His boyfriend fell over him, entwining their panting naked bodies together. The Hongkonger embraced him tightly without taking his length out of his hole. He buried his head on Mark's neck and kissed the delicious sweaty skin there. His intoxicating smell was all over him.

"I love you, Yi-en." He whispered tenderly against his ear.

"I love you too, Gaga." Mark encouraged himself to whisper back, and when an astonished Jackson lifted his head to meet his eyes, he could swear he found reciprocity in them. The Hongkonger beamed at his boyfriend. He couldn't believe his own ears.

"What did you just say?!"

"Wo ai ni." Mark replied, in Chinese, and then again in English and Korean. Three 'I love yous' at once. Jackson put his hands on both sides of his face and kissed him tenderly, then deeply.

“You’ve just made me the happiest guy alive.” Jackson squealed excitedly. Mark smiled at him, and told himself that within a month it would be only the two of them. He swore to himself that he was in love, and that Jackson was the one for him. They just had to get rid of Jinyoung, and everything would be perfect.

A few minutes later, when the sparks of their afterglow died down, Jackson carried Mark to the bathroom and ran them a bath. As soon as they were inside it, their bodies found rest on each other again as Mark sat with his back against the younger's chest. Mark enjoyed the feeling of his hands running through his scalp as he washed his hair, Jackson couldn't help but let his body lean over Mark's back, just to keep him closer.

"Are we gonna discuss your mother's visit now?" The Hongkonger said, a bit tense. 

"What visit?" A confused Mark turned around to face him.

"Kirin High School's counselor came all the way here to give me an ultimatum. She didn't talk to you about it?!" The younger furrowed his brows.

"No! What the hell did she want? Tell me." The older looked alarmed.

"According to her, Kirin High has an old rule. No dating on school grounds. She want us to pretend that we are not together. When we return to school we are supposed to tell the other classmates who know about us that it was all a prank. She told me to get rid of it, you know, the stuff I posted online about us. She wants me to delete the photos and pretend we never happened, otherwise, she'll transfer you to another school."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A difficult month is ahead. >_<


	20. Hesitate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family reunion!!

"What the fuck?!" Mark didn’t know who he hated more at that moment, Jinyoung, or his mother.

"She didn't forbid me to date you. But we're not supposed to be all coupley in front of everyone at Kirin High." Jackson explained to his boyfriend, hoping to pacify fim.

"What did you say to her?" the American gritted his teeth.

"I didn't have a choice, Mark! I already made a whole post on my _Instagram_ making fun of how people seemed to be seriously shipping us together. I told my followers that the joke was going too far."

"And you did all that without consulting me!" Mark eyed him in disbelief as he stood up and stepped out of the bathtub.

"I called you dozens of time, Mark! You wouldn't pick up my calls." Jackson tried to defend himself from his boyfriend’s wrath.

"Shit, I gotta go home." The American declared, obviously annoyed.

"What? Why? You can spend the night. Please stay, honey." Jackson tried to change his mind, but Mark just wouldn’t listen.

"I gotta go talk to Dorine. If she thinks she'll be able to interfere in our relationship like she did when I dated Eric back in LA she's completely wrong." Mark said harshly.

"Mark just take it easy, okay? There's no reason for you to explode. She is just worried about us. Deep down I know she's trying to protect us from the other students’ prejudice, and-"

"Fuck that! She'll listen to what I have to say." The older stated firmly, while giving the younger a reassuring look. Mark quickly dried himself up, borrowed some clothes from his boyfriend, kissed him goodbye, marched out of the bathroom, and went home.

He was surprised to hear a lot of cheerful voices coming from the living room as soon as he entered the house. He had planned to have long and unfriendly chat with Dorine, but with guests in the house, that certainly wouldn't be a good idea. He stopped at the foyer, and took a deep breath. He wouldn't be able to climb up the stairs to his bedroom without being seen. Mark wasn't fond of social meetings, but there was nothing he could do to ignore those people at that point. He thought about returning to his boyfriend’s house, but he needed to look inside his mother’s eyes first, and tell her to stay away from Jackson. He also felt like punching Jinyoung. He wondered if he shouldn’t be the one taking his stepbrother for a deathly ride now. He could simply dig a grave somewhere and throw the kid still alive in it. He just wished that his detestable Korean boyfriend would stop manipulating JB’s decisions. He swore to himself that he wouldn’t touch Jinyoung from now on, even if he himself wanted to. If according to the throuple’s arrangement he was the one supposed to top the younger, well, Jinyoung would’ve to beg for it and, deserve it. Otherwise, his dick wouldn’t get not even an inch closer to his conceited ass. While Mark contemplated when and how to enter that living room, he heard his mother call out to him.

"Mark, is that you? I heard you open the front door. Come here, I want you to meet someone." He heard Dorine say from the living room. The teenager sighed, and tried to keep his feelings in check.

When he finally stepped into the living room, the whole family seemed to be there. Jinyoung, Jaebeom, Taek-geun, Dorine, and to his astonishment, Choi Youngjae. He swallowed hard and wondered if the kid was stalking him. He seemed to be everywhere he went! It was definitely not his day. First the Choi kid and Jackson planned that shitty double date, and then the cunning actor Park Jinyoung ruined any good impression JB still had of him. Later that day, his boyfriend announced who he should top and who should top him, then he learns that his mother decided to shove him back in the closet, and now, that family reunion demanded from him a patience he didn’t have at the moment.

"Mark hyung and I already know each other Mrs. Lim Tuan." the kid informed, with a bright smile on his face. Mark wondered why he was always that smiley. It bothered him to no end to see all his white teeth in display. The American eyed Jinyoung sitting on the rug quietly and he felt like plucking that mask of serenity from his face. He didn’t know if he was faking or not, but he looked perfectly composed. Unlike Mark. The things the young Lim had said to JB still made the American feel like stabbing Jinyoung to death. However, he would take care of that matter later. Now he just wanted to disappear from that room, because he hated how Jaebeom refused to look in his direction. He wasn’t going to say anything, but when he saw the way Youngjae casually put a hand on JB’s knee, he couldn’t help himself.

“How was the movie? Did you get to hold each other’s hand and kiss at the end?” The American said sarcastically, without any intention to sound friendly. He dangerously towered over JB, who was sitting on the couch beside Youngjae. Suddenly everybody could notice the tension in that living room. Jaebeom looked up at him. His expression said a lot, but no word came from his mouth.

“Your date was probably better, since you stayed at Jackson’s house till this hour. I bet you did more than kiss and hold hands.” Jinyoung’s cynical voice echoed in the room. Mark shot him a death glare and clenched his fist till his nails dug into his palm. He could feel the skin of his hand tearing. But the hatred boiling inside him quickly dissipated when he felt a hand grip his.

“Don’t.” Jaebeom said. The way he pronounced the words were so soft and sympathetic that Mark felt like crying. Was JB really worried about what happened to his hand? Mark’s eyes lingered on the hand enveloping his fist. He wondered how nice it would be to have it always there.

“Mark, are you all right?” A concerned Dorine asked.

"If you guys excuse me, I'm going to bed." The American briskly shunned B’s comforting hands away and he would've ran up the stairs if his stepfather's voice hadn't reached him first.

"Please, kid, stay. We hoped you could join us in this little reunion. Jinyoung came clean about the fire and apologized to his dongsaeng. We’re celebrating Youngjae’s return to Kirin High. Maybe you could make friends with him, help the kid with his English. He always had a hard time with the language-"

"Who's hungry? I'm gonna make some sandwiches then." Mark announced awkwardly without even waiting for their response. He just needed a cheap excuse to escape from that absurd conversation. How could he possibly befriend Youngjae, the one who always had JB’s heart since the beginning? The American ignored the others' puzzled looks when he hurriedly went to the kitchen. He tried to look unaffected when Youngjae offered to help him.

Jaebeom seemed alarmed when the two disappeared into the kitchen, but he said nothing.

"You should go back there, seriously. The others will be missing you, especially Jaebeom. You are a guest, and I can handle-"

"JB told me about the two of you." The kid declared abruptly as he leaned on the kitchen counter. Mark almost let the pot of peanut butter he was holding fall from his hand as he eyed the other in disbelief.

"There's nothing going on between us, I mean, not anymore. I'm dating Jackson and-"

"I know. He also told me you are with Sseunie because he didn't make up his mind in time." Youngjae was serious now, but his tone wasn't judgmental.

“Seunie?” a confused Mark repeated the name.

“It’s a nickname Got6 gave to Jackson hyung.” Youngjae explained casually.

"Aren't you disgusted about the fact that JB and I are stepbrothers and still-"

"It's not like you have the same parents and were raised together or anything. I can't blame JB, you're quite handsome. I guess I would be offended if he had done it with some average looking guy." The kid smiled bitterly to himself. No matter the situation he was in, he was always smiling. Mark found that unnerving.

"My looks have nothing to do with it." Mark protested, but Jinyoung's words kept hammering inside his head. It pained him to think that perhaps his affair with the twins was indeed all about physical attraction. Was he whoring himself all this time? It was obvious the sexual tension between him and JB. It felt like they did have some unfinished business, a thirst for each other that was never satiated, yet, was it all about sexual desire, really? On the other hand, the uncontrollable hunger he felt for Jinyoung's lustful contact, and how he'd usually fall for the magnetic flame in his eyes was indescribable. The American hated how confused the twins made him feel. Yet, Mark was dating now, and he told himself that the twins shouldn't offer him much trouble from now on.

“I know that JB is the kind of guy who looks for more than good looks in someone but-”

"By the way, Jaebeom didn't cheat on you. You left him." He reminded Youngjae, after resuming his thoughts.

"That's why I'm not mad. I deserve it. I didn't expect him to be a monk all this time-"

"We didn't sleep together!" The American emphasized, making nervous gestures with his hand after putting the pot of peanut butter on the sink.

"But he wanted to, a lot. He said it himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he still-"

"I have a fucking boyfriend now. I don't care about what he wants. I'm not interested in this shit." He felt that he had to beat some sense into the younger. The older was obviously not in the mood for that kind of talk. He wanted to put the twins behind him and have a ‘normal’ relationship with Jackson.

"You like him." That wasn't a question, it was a statement. The kid's scrutinizing stare made the older uncomfortable.

"What the hell do you want from me, kid?! I don't care if you guys get back together. Just kiss and make up! Oh, and fucking leave me alone." Mark struggled to keep his voice down and not draw the attention of the others in the living room.

"We can't go back to the way we used to be. I'm hesitating, and because if that, he thinks I have someone else back in Mokpo." Youngjae said sadly, looking down.

"Stop hesitating then! Are you seeking for some sort of love advice from me?! Look, I’m not really qualified-"

"I can't be with him and hide stuff from him. It's just the same drama as before. I know too much and I feel like shit for not telling him." The kid said as he took a deep breath.

"His mother is dead for Christ sakes! You don't have to keep quiet about the cancer anymore-"

"I know about his grandfather's schemes to separate his parents!" Youngjae exclaimed with a frightened look on his face. He wasn’t smiling, and for some reason, Mark didn’t like the fact that he was not looking as bright as some minutes ago in the living room.

"What the…Shit." Mark shook his head in disbelief. He wondered how much time Got6’s otter actually spent at the mansion when he was dating JB. The American was aware that Jiyeong Park used to be his piano teacher, but he would never guess that the kid knew that much about the Parks and the Lims.

"Do you know about it too!?" Youngjae gave him a surprised look.

"Unfortunately a drunk Mr. Lim told me." Mark sighed deeply as he inevitably forgot about the sandwiches.

"I should've never spent too much time in that mansion. But Miss Park was like a mom to me, and she made me swear I would never say anything. She was worried that both her sons would never forgive J.Y.Park for what he did. I fear that their grandfather is letting me stay there just because he's afraid I might say something to JB. But I would never, ever dare to expose him." Youngjae said in an anguished tone.

"If you really love JB, do not hold back. Just go into that living room and fucking tell him." Mark was tired of all the secrets, the hiding, the good manners, the supposed unethical behavior that should be avoided at all times, and the ridiculous drama surrounding that family.

"How can I? His father wouldn't be happy about it and I feel like I'd be intruding in their lives. I mean it's the Lims' business." Youngjae argued, in a conflicted tone.

"Is that so? Then since I am kind of a Lim now, I should do something about it, right?!" Mark eyed him with determination.

"Mark hyung." Choi’s eyes were like saucers.

"Watch and learn kid." Mark suddenly left the kitchen, and marched into the living room. Everybody's attention was on him.

"Mark, what about the sandwiches?" Dorine asked, sensing his son's distressed demeanor.

"We are out of bread." He said shortly without looking at her. Youngjae was right behind him, obviously tense. Jaebeom eyed them both expectantly.

“What’s going on?” JB’s tone was full of concern. “Jae?” he examined his dongsaeng’s alarmed expression.

“Is there a dating ban in Kirin High School, stepfather?” Mark turned to Mr. Lim coldly. His stepfather wondered what made the teenager so enraged.

“As a matter of fact, there is.” He replied without much ceremony as he fidgeted on the sofa.

“But you know your son and Choi Youngjae dated for years, even though they studied in the same school, right?” The American knew that he had to start from that topic. He didn’t know why, but he was not okay with the internal conflict that Youngjae was going through. Jackson’s words immediately came to his mind at that moment. _‘_ _Soon you’ll also feel like protecting him as if he is part of a species in danger of extinction. Believe me.’_ If Mark wasn’t so mad he wouldn’t be so confrontational. Jiyeong Park, Jinyoung, and their grandfather were too unfair on him. He thought to himself, _damn it, how could they treat that otter kid like that? Mark was part of Got7 now, he was the eldest, and something had to be done about it_.

“Yes, Mark. They were able to keep a low profile though.” His stepfather answered simply, trying to work out what he was really getting at.

“Do you really care about the fact that I’m dating Jackson Wang?”

“No, Mark. But at school I hope you guys try not to make it that obvious. If you two are caught, it can result in some serious disciplinary punishment, and I won’t be able to overlook this kind of transgression. I’m not supposed to give you special treatment because you are my stepson. I’m the principal, and I must set a good example. I don’t make all the rules by myself. The teaching staff is quite strict. So, be careful.” Taek-geun explained to him calmly.

“Jinyoung set fire at the school library and incriminated another student. He skipped classes, he bullied kids during his free time, and practically did whatever he wanted! How is that not special treatment? Are you teaching your kids to be a bunch of hypocrites?” Mark was incensed, as he paced around the room. Jaebeom wondered why he was behaving like that. He wished he could just give him a hug and help him to calm down. Yet, not only his parents were there, Youngjae was present and whatever sympathetic gesture he decided to make could be misinterpreted.

“If you have something to say, just stop beating around the bush! What’s your point, Mark?” an annoyed Jinyoung stood up and folded his arms across his chest.

“Shut up, your hyung is talking. Have some manners.” The American glared at him for a second and then ignored him in the next. Jinyoung looked surprised, but he indeed shut up.

“Does the school have a say about what students post in their social media?” the American continued, looking at a wide eyed Mr. Lim. Dorine took a deep breath. She immediately understood what was that about. She was expecting to talk to her son about the visit she paid to his boyfriend earlier that afternoon, but she quickly realized that Jackson had already informed Mark about it.

“No, Mark. Why are you-” a disconcerted Taek-geun wasn’t even able to finish his sentence. He didn’t know about the ultimatum that his wife had given to Jackson. He seemed just as puzzled as his two sons.

“Since the whole family is here, except for J.Y. Park, fortunately, I guess we should clarify some important things in order to keep our lives at least bearable inside this house.”

“Like what, Mark?” Dorine looked apprehensive sitting on her armchair.

“I’ll abide by Kirin High School’s traditional rules, since there’s nothing I can do about it. After all, I am not the principal’s son.” The teenager said sarcastically, as he eyed Jinyoung with disgust, then turned to Dorine. “However, I hope no one in this house tries to interfere with my love life out of the school. Is that clear, mother?” Mark gave her a defiant glare. She nodded and avoided his gaze. She could have argued back and made her point, but they weren’t at the Tuans’ house, they weren’t in America, and she had no intention of going back to those days of messy dinners and relentless screams that usually ended with doors being slammed shut.

“I have no intention of interfering. I’m just looking after your education. I don’t want it to affect your studies.” She stated soberly.

“Thanks for your concern, dear mother. But that’s not necessary. You didn’t care about my education back in the U.S for more than a year, just cut the bullshit!” Mark accused bitterly, and that was enough to silence her. Youngjae gasped as he witnessed the way Mark addressed his mother. Taek-geun looked scandalized. Jinyoung smirked secretly, while Jaebeom wondered if he should interfere in some way.

“Mark hyung.” Youngjae spoke unconsciously as he put a hand on his shoulder. He was too shocked to say or do anything else since the American started his tirade. He felt that it was his fault. If he hadn’t followed Mark to the kitchen, the older wouldn’t have gotten so infuriated. Therefore, he tried to reach out for him somehow. Yet, his touch was fiercely avoided.

“But there’s something else! No more secrets.” Mark inhaled, and eyed Taek-geun now. “It’s time to tell your sons the truth, Mr. principal. A great westerner once wrote ‘ _No legacy is so rich as honesty_.’ Go ahead, it’s never too late to set a good example. Actually, your kids could seriously use some.” The terrified expression on his stepfather’s face made the twins realize that Mark’s outburst had a hidden meaning.

“Tuan Yi-en!” Dorine raised her voice now.

“What is it, father? What is he talking about?!” a frowning Jaebeom exclaimed, as he stood up by Jinyoung’s side.

“If you don’t tell them, I will. It may be rude or disrespectful of me to disclose such a secret, but I just can’t help myself. Call it American spontaneity.” Mark said fearlessly, as he glanced at JB. The latter was already eyeing him with an unreadable expression in his face. Mark wondered if he remembered a brief chat they had about ‘spontaneity’ when JB kissed him for the first time.

“Just say it, damn it!” Jinyoung demanded, addressing his stepbrother.

“Mark, I don’t think this is the best moment to discuss this issue.” Mr. Lim’s eyes were pleading.

“And when will be the best moment? When Jinyoung here decides to burn Dorine alive while she sleeps? Will you overlook that too? Will you keep protection J.Y.P at her expense? For how long?”

“Mark don’t do this, please.” His mother begged. Yet, the teenager just sneered at her.

“Jinyoung, Jaebeom, listen well. My mom never had an affair with your father. She’s not a home wrecker like everyone made you believe. She turned into some sort of private counselor for him, right after she started working at Kirin High. They became friends quickly. Your grandfather found a P.I to dig some dirty on your dad, but since he found nothing, he made your mom believe that he was cheating on her with Dorine. Photos were manipulated and sent to Jiyeong Park. When she asked for a divorce, your grandfather had already threatened your father in the most vicious way. He’d get a student to accuse Kirin High’s principal of sexual harassment. Only then, the divorce happened, and your daddy married my mom to put an end to the gossip, and the baseless rumors that were being spread through the halls of the school.”

“Liar.” Jinyoung refused to believe those words, but his father’s silence was too conspicuous.

“Why didn’t you tell us, dad?” a consternated JB asked as he noticed the hurt in Taek-geun’s features.

“There was nothing that I could do to stop him. But I could save my sons from the embarrassment of knowing that they have such an arrogant, unfeeling swine for a grandfather. I would take this secret my grave if I could.” Mr. Lim confessed, as he gave Mark a look of disappointment. The boy knew then that he had let his stepfather down, but there was nothing he could do about it anymore. He had disappointed Raymond multiple times, he was used to dissatisfy people. He just hoped that his new family would be able to move on from the revelations of that night.

“This was a very pleasant and fruitful chat. Now if you excuse me, I need to get some sleep. Sorry about the sandwiches, guys, maybe next time! Good night everyone.” The American announced sarcastically. However, before he went to his room, he turned to Youngjae and gave him brief smirk. “You’re welcome”. He said quickly to the kid and disappeared from the living room. JB’s scrutinizing eyes traveled from his stepbrother to Youngjae, and the latter could tell that Jaebeom wasn’t happy to see that quick interaction.

“I’m going to that mansion right now, and I’m gonna beat the crap out of that old man!” Jinyoung yelled, as he marched to the door. His father stood up to stop the kid from leaving, but Jaebeom only shook his head at him.

“Don’t worry. Grandpa is out of town. Jin will probably need some time to calm down now. I’ll look after him.” JB gave his father a reassuring look, took Youngjae’s hand in his, and followed Jinyoung to the car.

A mortified Dorine remained speechless on her armchair, with a hand over her mouth. Her husband crouched before her chair and eyed her with sympathy.

“I’m sorry. It’s been hard on you.” Taek-geun said with a tinge of remorse in his voice.

“He’s improving, you know? At least he didn’t break anything.” She said, giving him a tiny smile.

“Nor anyone.” Taek-geun added and chuckled, even though his heart was breaking for his two sons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The truth is out!!   
> And for those missing Markjin and Markbum...be patient my dears...XD


	21. Shaking the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirin High School and heavy rain...

“All right, gentlemen. I called you here in my humble house to discuss some urgent issues. Bambam and Yugyeom are being threatened by the remaining guys of the soccer team, the ones who weren’t expelled. We are aware that those rumors about drugs being sold at Yugyeom’s party months ago, led some concerned parents to seek the authorities. Inevitably, the police started to investigate the guys in the team. It turns out that their captain Zico, and their goalkeeper Mino ended up being arrested two days ago in some other party. They were charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. The thing is, Zico was set to attend some fancy university on a soccer scholarship in the fall, but it seems that the university revoked his scholarship after the arrest. The other players are mad and wanna avenge their hero.” Jackson explained quickly and sat beside Mark on the couch. They were so close that Mark could almost feel his breath on his cheek. Jaebeom eyed the Hongkonger’s movements with clear annoyance. If they weren’t so focused on the main purpose of that reunion, he would’ve said something, or done something. The American moved a little away from his boyfriend, noticing his stepbrother glare, but no matter how much the older tried to establish a space between them, Jackson found a way to be all over him in the next minute. Mark wasn’t uncomfortable with the skinship, but he knew JB was at his wits’ end, and the last thing he wanted was to provoke him.

“Why would Bam and Gyeom be targeted by them?” Mark asked with a puzzled look on his face. Before Jackson could clarify things for him, Jaebeom started talking.

“After I dragged you out of Yugyeom’s party in that state, I knew that you had taken something more than alcohol, even if you didn’t remember or didn’t know about it. And if there were drugs in that party, I could bet that Mino and Zico were the ones selling it. Half of the school buys from them. Jinyoung probably bought it from them in order to drug you back then. While you were sick at home, I went after answers. In Kirin High, I exposed the guys of the team on the soccer field. I threw the first punch at Mino, then I accused them publicly, in front of all the other students. His teammates attacked me all at once, but then Jack, Bam, Yug and the whole fencing club joined the fight. Well, when things got out of hand, we all ended up in the principal’s room. That very fight on the field, and its repercussions caused their inevitable arrest.” The Korean sighed heavily. “Now that Jackson and I are suspended, they’ll take this opportunity to cowardly harass our maknaes.” Jaebeom concluded, as he eyed the Hongkonger with worry. He wondered if he would be able to team up with Jackson and find a solution for their problem. Their interaction was easier when Mark wasn’t in the picture. Jaebeom couldn’t help but think that Mark was with Jackson just because of his damned indecision. He couldn’t erase his stepbrother’s words from his mind, ‘ _Jackson_ _told me he would make me forget you within a week_.’ The korean didn’t have the chance to ask his stepbrother if the Hongkonger was really able to accomplish his task. The week was about to end. JB wondered if he really wanted to know. After the bomb Mark dropped in the Lims’ living room, Jaebeom was been busy keeping an eye on Jinyoung. JB lamented the fact that the distance between Mark and him only kept growing day-by-day, and he couldn’t accept the unfairness of that situation. Because of that night of striking revelations, Jaebeom was finally able to make his decision, and he wished he could tell Mark he wasn’t wavering anymore, but he didn’t know how.

“Look, I’m not saying we should go back to being good friends, JB. I know you have your reasons to dislike the fact that I’m dating your stepbrother. But this urgent issue requires our attention. What I’m trying to say here is that we should put our differences aside and try to help those two. Bam said that yesterday, when he left the cafeteria and returned to his classroom, he found his belongings all over the floor and someone left a piece of paper on his desk with the drawing of a person being shot in the head. This morning someone left terrible racist comments on Bambam’s social media. Gyeom found a dead rat in his backpack, and he could swear that he was being followed yesterday on his way home. These guys are not kidding.” The Hongkonger promised himself that as soon as he got back to school he would make all those bullies pay.

“I’m gonna kill those motherfuckers!” JB exclaimed, as if he had read Jackson’s thought. The agitated Korean paced around the room biting his nails. Mark had never seen him like that.

“Get a hold of yourself, man! We gotta think before we act.” Jackson warned him.

“Since you guys know it’s those jocks who are messing with them, why don’t we call the cops?!” Mark suggested, wondering why they looked so lost.

“They made no formal threats yet. And we’re both suspended for fighting in school. Who would believe us?” Jackson asked a bit despondent.

“Shouldn’t we talk to your Dad, JB?” Mark suggested, not even sure if that was a good idea. The Lims seemed to be divided those days. Since the family reunion of four nights ago, Jaebeom, Youngjae and Jinyoung stayed at the mansion. Jinyoung threatened to burn the whole place just to call his grandfather’s attention. Fortunately, JB and Youngjae were there to stop him. As soon as Youngjae called and told Mr. Lim about the threat, Taek-geun immediately went to the mansion to bring his sons home, yet, Jinyoung refused to leave there. He claimed that he would only return to the house after he spoke to J.Y.P in person, but his grandfather was still overseas. Mr. Lim had no other choice but to leave Jinyoung in Jaebeom’s care and go back home alone.

“I really don’t wanna bother him right now.” JB said quietly.

“It’s happening in his school.” Mark argued.

“You go talk to him then.” His stepbrother said shortly. The older made a face at him. After going against Mr. Lim’s wishes and exposing the family secret, the American wasn’t sure if he would like to bring more bad news to his stepfather. At the house, Mark already did his best to avoid him. It was as if they had gotten back to square one. Just like when Mark started living with his new family. Neither dinners, nor lunches together. He stayed most of the time in his room and nobody questioned his behavior.

“I don’t understand why you don’t wanna talk to him.” Mark eyed him quizzically.

“I am his fucking son! I stayed home! He could’ve told me about it. I took his side when the fights started and when the divorce happened, I criticized my own mother for her hysterical behavior. I blamed her and Jinyoung for making Jae leave. I hated her for all the wrong reasons. Grandfather was messing with her head, and father didn’t fight back! Now that she’s dead, I realize she was also a victim all along! It wasn’t just the cancer that ruined her, it was JYP’s lies, and my father’s lenience!” Jaebeom said sourly, taking a deep breath. Mark studied his features worriedly. He hadn’t seen his stepbrother for a while, and he didn’t know how that revelation was affecting him. However, it was clear that he took the news pretty hard. He wondered if Jinyoung looked worse, after all, he was the one who blamed Teak-geun and Dorine for making Jiyeong miserable. Mark also thought about Youngjae’s hesitance. He thought about asking JB if they were finally back together now that there were no obstacles in their path, yet, he couldn’t. Not when everybody was so worried about what was going on at school.

“All right guys, let’s leave Mr. Lim out of this for now, okay? Jinyoung went back to school after he learned about the jocks’ threats, and Youngjae is already resuming his school year at Kirin High. They’ll keep an eye on Bam and Gyeomie. At least Jinyoung and Youngjae will be able to inform us of those jocks’ next moves.” Jackson chimed in, signaling Mark to stop talking about Mr. Lim. The Hongkonger knew that JB was the one who was having more trouble dealing with the truth. Jackson had been keeping an eye on Jinyoung too, often stopping by the mansion to check on him, and he couldn’t help but notice his twin’s state. Surprisingly, Jinyoung seemed to be in better shape than Jaebeom. During one of his visits, Jackson heard from Jinyoung that, somehow, he felt relieved after learning about the real reason of his parents’ divorce. The younger Lim didn’t feel like hating his father or his stepmother anymore. All this time he felt like he needed to make things harder for Dorine and Taek-geun, in order to honor Jiyeong’s memory, but now, he just had to accept that it was nobody’s fault, but his grandfather’s. Jackson was used to Jinyoung’s appetite for retaliation, so he wasn’t shocked when he heard his friend say that one day, he would get his revenge against JYP. It could take years, but he would make the old man pay. But that was just Jinyoung being Jinyoung. Got6 used to call him ‘shadow’ for a reason, and that was because he could sound quite gloomy, petty and negative sometimes. Those features were just part of his unique charm.

“To be honest, I don’t think it’s a good idea to make Jinyoung and Jae the kids’ bodyguards. They won’t be able to defend themselves nor the maknaes from those jocks if half of the soccer team decides to attack.” Jaebeom commented tiredly. He looked like he hadn’t slept for days, and he even looked thinner. Mark noticed that, and all he wanted was to sit down with his stepbrother and ask him how he was doing. He wished he could give him some sort of strength, or support. He wondered if it would be okay to let Jaebeom rest his head on his lap. He wondered if it would be inappropriate to simply run his fingers through the Korean’s hair and listen to his troubles. He missed being close to him. He just hoped JB would return to the house soon.

Mark’s thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of a cellphone. A consternated Jaebeom quickly took the object out of his pocket and examined the text on its screen. After a few seconds, he read a message his brother had sent him out loud.

_“The jocks want us to meet them on the soccer field after school hours. They claim that if we don’t show up there, Bambam and Yugyeom will never get the chance to finish their school year. They want to settle a score with you and Jackson. No one else should be involved. They wanted me to tell you that no authority, or school staff should be contacted. I’ll be waiting for you guys when you arrive. Don’t be late. They have Youngjae locked in the music room.”_

“My God.” Jackson put both his hands on his head and gasped. Jaebeom already had his car keys in one hand and he was moving to the door.

“Are you coming or not?!” Jaebeom said in a mixture of anger and fear. The Hongkonger simply nodded and started putting his shoes on. Jackson knew that JB was blaming himself for the fact that Youngjae was caught in the crossfire. He just hoped that nothing serious had already taken place.

“I’m coming too.” Mark announced, as he reached the foyer.

“No.” JB said firmly as he met his eyes. Mark couldn’t bear to see the despair in them.

“I’m not asking for permission. If you guys don’t let me ride with you, I’ll call a cab.” The older stated. Jaebeom made an angry noise. Jackson then tried to negotiate.

“This is a dangerous meeting. None of us know what is going to go down on that soccer field. We could use a lookout, in case things get out of hand. I’ll protect him, JB. I always will.” The Hongkonger said, as he took hold of Mark’s hand. JB looked at both of them, then glanced at their hands together, and gave a deep sigh.

“If he gets a single scratch or a black eye, if any of those guys leave a single bruise on him, I’ll make them pay, and afterwards, I’m gonna fucking kill you.” Jaebeom said forcefully and walked out of the door. Though the situation was a serious one, Mark couldn’t help but chuckle at his behavior. Suddenly the Korean sounded too much like his twin. He remembered Jinyoung telling Jackson something similar when they had their first threesome. _‘If you leave a single bruise or tear on him, I’ll fucking kill you.’_ For a moment, he missed the psychotic Lim. He wondered if his stepbrother missed him too. But then he reminded himself that he would probably never know for sure, since Jinyoung was able to act so well. He just wished he knew when his stepbrother was faking and when he was being honest.

“That does ring a bell, doesn’t it?” Jackson eyed Mark knowingly.

“I guess.” The American said shortly. He wasn’t the only one with a good memory.

“You should stop by the mansion. I think he misses you.” Jackson smiled a bit.

“I doubt that.” Mark said, feigning disinterest and walked out of the house with Jackson right behind him.

It was a quiet drive, and the trio was too tense to even hold a conversation. They had called Bambam and Yugyeom and thankfully, they had already left the school, and were safe in their homes. Their main concern was Youngjae and Jinyoung, who wouldn’t pick up their calls. Jaebeom’s blood ran cold whenever he thought of what could be possibly happening to the two. It was already dark when he reached the school. It rained a lot and the place was quiet as a tomb. Jackson knew an easy way to get to the soccer field without having to use the front gate of Kirin High. As soon as they reached the meeting location, they started to discuss their strategy.

“Mark, go stay hidden behind the blenchers.” Jaebeom commanded, as the rain soaked their hair and clothes.

“I can help-” The American started, but his boyfriend cut him off.

“Hey, we talked about his, you’re the lookout. Just go, please.” Jackson sounded serious and worried at the same time.

“I don’t see Jinyoung, do you?! This looks like a trap to me! I should check the music room. See if Choi is in there.” Mark argued, and JB lost his patience.

“Jin is not stupid, he’s probably hiding somewhere, he can take care of himself. Now, me and Jackson are the only ones who are supposed to stay here on the field, alone, remember? You can’t be here and you can’t go to that music room either. If you go to there, you might put Jae in danger, and I’ll never forgive you for this.” JB’s gaze was desolate. Mark said nothing back, he just walked away from them, and willingly took his lookout position behind the bleachers.

15 minutes passed, and no one showed up. The rain was getting heavier by the minute. Jackson tried to call Jinyoung, but his phone was still off, just like Youngjae’s. The Korean and the Hongkonger didn’t move from their meeting spot. However, Mark didn’t have much patience for that, so he decided to check what was really going on in the music room. He didn’t mean to do anything harsh. He just needed to make sure the kid was really there. He wouldn’t admit it to himself, but he worried about Jinyoung too. Jackson and JB didn’t notice when he left his spot and sneaked into the locker room. Mark could hear voices, as soon as he got there.

_“I already checked the field. The two are still there.”_

_“We can never be sure if they’re indeed alone. What if that filthy foreigner invited the fencing club for the party and they find us here? We won’t stand a chance.”_

_“Just let them soak a bit more. We’ll wait till our main character shows up. Maybe he’s late or he’s already here. Poor Jaebeom, he is probably wondering where his friend and his cherished twin are.”_

Mark was puzzled. He heard three different voices and they certainly belonged to the members of the soccer team. But neither Jinyoung nor Youngjae’s voice could be heard in there. He wondered if he they were both in the music room. He was about to escape from a window, when he felt a heavy object hit his head. He passed out, without having the chance to see who had struck him. After a long while, he woke up in the school office, and slowly examined his surrounds. His head ached a bit, but he would survive. Four students were there. Jinyoung was gagged, and tied to a chair. He had a bruise on his cheek and his eyes screamed fear. Youngjae still was nowhere to be seen.

“Well, well, well. The eldest Lim is finally up. Our protagonist still lives!” One of the students said sardonically.

“Where’s Youngjae?” Mark demanded, checking if the damage made on his head was too severe.

“Probably home. We never targeted him. The kid has just returned to school, and we don’t wanna scare him away. Everyone deserves a break sometimes. We know what’s like to be framed by the Lim brothers, and then get suspended, or expelled for it. Besides, we need him around, so we can bully him later.” The boy chuckled, while the others laughed behind him.

“So, Youngjae is not in the music room.” Mark just needed that confirmation. He slowly stood up and glanced at Jinyoung’s pitiful expression again.

“That message was a diversion. We didn’t touch Choi, but we stole his cellphone, just in case. I’ve noticed how he and Jinyoung teamed up to look after the young ones, so we needed to hinder their communication. To be honest, I can’t believe the kid forgave Jinyoung! This young Lim made his life hell! I mean, has he forgotten about the fire?! Which, by the way, we were the ones who helped Jinyoung here start it.” The student huffed and glanced at the teenager tied to the chair. “You know, when he used to be one of us he was more interesting, now that his mommy is dead, he’s becoming a shadow of what he used to be.” The boy commented tragically.

“What do you want from JB and Jackson?” Mark asked coldly, as he folded his arms across his chest.

“I want them expelled, an eye for an eye.” The boy said quickly.

“I’m sorry to break this to you, pal, but that’s never gonna happen. We’re talking about the principal’s son and his friend. They are untouchable. And I’m sure that if you weren’t so afraid of them, you would probably be on that soccer field right now, instead of here with your dick friends. Anyways, how long do you think it will take for those two to enter here and make you regret the day you were born?” Mark stared hard at the boy.

“They are not going to touch me, Tuan. Me and my friends here won’t be the ones to get them expelled. You’re the one who’s gonna do that for us. You see, you weren’t on the field, so we waited. Now that you finally made your grand entrance, let me tell you why you are the main character of this scheme. You’ll do exactly what we say, otherwise, the consequences will be quite drastic.” The boy explained, earning a frown from the American.

“Is that so? That means you’re gonna hang Jinyoung from a three if I refuse to follow your orders? Well, go ahead, and after you’re done, drop this dipshit into the bottom of the Han river. See if I care!” Mark said in a mocking tone, but he couldn’t miss the dejected look the Lim was giving him.

“You see, earlier this afternoon, when we jumped on Junior here, we also took his phone from him. After we tied him up and sent that message from his cellphone, I found out a lot of things about a certain throuple.” The boy’s smirk grew large when he saw Mark’s expression change.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The American could feel his blood boil. He wondered why Jinyoung didn’t erase whatever compromising conversation regarding their relationship from his phone.

“No one will meet Jackson and JB on the soccer field. They might go looking for Junior or Youngjae at the music room, and they’ll find nothing in there. They will call them, but no one will pick up, since I have their phones right here, including yours.” The student said, as he waved the three mobiles in front of Mark’s face and then gave them to one of his friends. “They will be too busy trying to save a kid that’s probably sleeping soundly at home, and no one will notice that you and I are having this little chat here. I could have sent a message directly to you, threatening to kidnap one of Got6’s members in case you didn’t show up, but Jinyoung said you wouldn’t come for him, nor for Youngjae or the maknaes. Our old friend here told us that only if I brought Wang and Jaebeom to this meeting, you would come along. He was right.” The boy said viciously. Mark wondered if Jinyoung really believed that he didn’t care about the others. He tried to tell himself that maybe, that was the young Lim’s way of keeping the youngsters safe. Perhaps Jinyoung knew that, unlike the maknaes, Jackson and Jaebeom were smart enough to get out of danger’s way. Then again, the American could not put his trust on that one. Jinyoung had given him plenty of reasons to doubt his character. Mark couldn’t tell when he was acting or not. However, if Jinyoung was cooperating with those scums, why was he bruised, gagged and tied to a chair? The older hated to see that bruise on his cheek. For the first time Mark felt compelled to break the promise he had made to his brother Joey back in America. Avoiding that fight would be too risky.

“Whatever it is you intend to use against me, be careful with that. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, kid. I’m warning you. I’m gonna give you one chance to walk away from this office unscathed. But first, I want all these phones back. Stealing is a crime and-”

“Hear me out, will you? I know you got suspended too, Tuan. I heard JB almost broke your neck. Did he find out that you’re screwing his twin and his old friend? It’s a pity that things got a bit out of hand in the cafeteria. I can’t believe I missed this fight! But you seriously thought that because you’re fucking his son, Mr. Lim would give you especial treatment? I mean, does he even know? One week of suspension is a little too much, don’t you think? It’s not your fault if those guys are after your ass. Anyways, I’m happy the other two ended up suspended too.” The boy said with a satisfied look on his face. Mark’s heart skipped a beat. He eyed Jinyoung one more time, and he saw terror in them. The student grinned when he noticed the shocked look on his face. The other three just giggled.

“What’s your name, kid?” Mark asked, while gritting his teeth. He tried to look composed, but the tone of his voice denounced his irritation.

“Min Yoon-gi, but you can call me, August D.” the kid said proudly. Mark huffed.

“That’s cute.” Mark commented in a mocking way, trying not to deck him yet. He took a deep breath and continued. “August, dear, what makes you think that I am doing such a thing? I’m not fucking my own brother, that’s sick! We are just friends, nothing more than that. I’m telling you, if you start badmouthing the principal’s son, I’ll…-” Mark didn’t have time to finish his sentence. August’s fierce retort cut him off and made his features pale.

“You will what?! Oh, please, Tuan. You don’t have to convince me of anything. The pictures don’t lie. I mean, I saw the text messages between Wang and Junior. At first, I thought they were horsing around, just making jokes about the hot foreigner. But when I saw you naked on that bed, I almost puked.” Yoon-gi revealed, making a face at the older.

“What pictures?” Mark was already sweating. He glanced at Jinyoung again and the younger closed his eyes in shame. Yoon-gi took Jinyoung’s phone from one of his friends’ hands and showed Mark the nudes he never had a chance to see before, the ones taken at Yugyeom’s party. He immediately cursed himself for ever believing that his deceitful stepbrother had deleted them. When Jinyoung opened his eyes again, Mark averted his eyes from him quickly. He felt betrayed, humiliated, scorned, and used.

“How many of you are in this school right now? Who knows about all this?” Mark asked coldly.

“It’s just the four of us. It’s a delicate issue, so I thought it was better to keep this as confidential as possible. I’m sure you understand.” Yoon-gi confessed, without thinking too much about the reason of that question.

“So, I just have to get my boyfriend and my stepbrother expelled, right? Then you’ll promise you’ll leave us alone.” Mark gave August an unreadable smile.

“Believe me Tuan, I’m just seeking to avenge Mino and Zico. Get those two expelled and your dirty little secret will never be disclosed. I mean, imagine what would JB, your mother and your stepfather say if they found out that you are Jackson and Jinyoung’s private whore? I mean, Wang already has a reputation, he can even turn the male teachers into his playthings, but Jinyoung, well that’s another story. You are part of his family now, you live under the same roof. That can look a bit unethical and immoral.” As soon as the boy finished talking, the American rolled up his sleeves.

“How can I be sure that after you get what you want, you’ll say nothing afterwards?” Mark asked emotionlessly as he went to the door and noticed that it was locked and they wouldn’t have time to ran away even if they had the key. The four students eyed his movements in confusion.

“You have my word.” Yoon-gi said with a disconcerted smile on his face, as Mark came very closer to where he was standing and towered over him.

“Do you think your word is enough _?”_ Mark inhaled. “I don’t negotiate with blackmailers, D.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there's any ARMY out there, plz, don't kill me! I just needed a name for a bad boy.  
> No intention to offend the real Lil Meow Meow .=^.^=


	22. Jibberish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pair was caught in the act!!:O

Mark punched the arrogant boy in the face, and twisted his arm violently till the others heard it snap. The three other students went to help their ‘leader’ but they were quickly subdued by the American. High kicks and jabs brought all the four boys to the ground without much trouble.

“Please, let us go. We’ll never say anything. I swear, just don’t hurt us.” One of them whined on the floor. The others were in too much pain to say anything. The American still eyed them menacingly.

“I’ll make sure you won’t. Take off your pants, all of you. I never directed a porn movie before, but I promise to capture your faces and your dicks with great precision. I cannot miss this opportunity to make some money out of your performances.” Mark grinned mischievously, as he noticed the alarm on their faces.

“What the fuck are you talking about, queer?!” Yoon-gi exclaimed, eyeing Mark in a mixture of disbelief and fear.

“Is my Korean that bad or you’re simply deaf? Let me be more specific then. I wanna see you guys jerk each other off. No one is allowed to leave this room before all of you come.” Mark announced with a wicked smile on his lips. He picked up the three phones that had fallen on the floor and turned on their cameras.

“Do we look like faggots to you? I’m not gonna touch anybody’s dick, you perverted cocksucker!” Yoon-gi protested, while the other boys eyed each other with uncertainty.

“You are all sustaining injuries right now. All of you have at least a foot, a finger, an arm, an elbow, a hand, a leg, or a knee broken. You should be thankful that I avoided attacking your vital points.” Mark lied meticulously. He had only broken Yoon-gi’s arm. Since he was the one who dared to threatened him directly, the American decided that he should also be the one to learn the harshest lesson. The others had their bones intact. However, they were so frightened after a few punches, that they believed every word he said. So he continued. “This faggot here can do much worse. Now strip, and make sure your partner enjoys it.” Mark commanded as the boys quickly undid their pants. Mark recorded everything.

The four students did what they were told, and with the right amount of stimulation, they completed their task on each other. The American even made Yoon-gi say on the video how much the soccer player missed Mino and Zico’s dicks and that he wished they were there to bang him into a wall. Mark also dictated some other obscenities that Yoon-gi was forced to say in the video. The player had to describe ‘indecent’ encounters and orgies that never happened, but that could compromise the whole team. Jinyoung was completely thunderstruck. He couldn’t believe what was happening before him. Since the moment he saw Mark throw the first punch, he felt like he was in a parallel universe. He never knew that Mark could fight, or break bones. The older always looked fragile, skinny, delicate, and most of the time, younger than him. Yet, he couldn’t help but remind himself that his stepbrother was once able to free himself from JB in the music room, and on another occasion, when he wrestled with him on the floor of their bedroom, the American certainly had the upper hand. Only now, Jinyoung realized that Mark could’ve really hurt him if he wanted to. Was he controlling his strength back then?

“You’ll never get away with this, Tuan. If this video ever-” Yoon-gi started, but Mark shut him up with a light slap on his face.

“Now we both know the weight of each other’s secrets. We both love dicks. Now, this secret shall never leave this room. I won’t share yours, if you don’t share mine.” The American winked at him. “Now go home, you assholes!” Mark yelled at them, making the boys cower in fear. Suddenly, they pulled up their pants, forgot how painful their injuries actually were, and ran to the door. Mark chuckled at their hurried movements and the way they almost stepped onto each other as soon as Yoon-gi successfully unlocked the door. As soon as the boys were gone, Mark’s shoulder started to tremble. Then he simply crouched on the floor and started crying. He buried his face in his hands and ignored the way Jinyoung kept making desperate muffled noises to get his attention. Only when the chair that he was tied to fell on the floor that Mark looked in his direction. Jinyoung could barely stand the despite in his eyes.

The American quickly wiped his angry tears, lifted his stepbrother up from the floor and roughly removed the gag from his mouth. He squatted in front of him, but didn’t untie his limbs from the chair.

“I broke a vow I made to my brother because of you, asshole!” Mark said enraged.

"What vow? What the fuck did you just do!?" The Korean asked horrified. He knew those guys from the soccer team quite well and he was sure that what Mark made them do would have serious repercussions.

“I just saved our lives, you jerk! Would you rather I let them disgrace our family name? Be glad I didn't include you in this damn video. You should thank me for not making you suck their cocks. If I did, at least I would've some dirty on you." Mark could barely look at his stepbrother. He was still trying to decide what to do with him.

“Mark, you have to believe me! I deleted those nudes! And every conversation that I had with Jack that might give us up I also erased from my phone. They must have used some sort of app to recover discarded files from a mobile. I swear I never meant to use them-”

Jinyoung didn’t finish his sentence when he felt the weight of Mark’s hand on his cheek.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up! I don’t wanna hear your cheap explanation. I don’t even wanna listen to this venomous voice of yours. You’re a snake Park Jinyoung! You’re probably in cahoots with them. You have no idea how you make me sick right now, you vermin. You are just as repulsive as your grandfather. It’s a good thing that your mom is dead. She would be devastated to realize that you turned into a copy of him.” Mark accused, as he slapped his cheek once more, harder. Jinyoung looked hurt and outraged, as he tasted his own blood in his mouth. Although the older told him to be quiet, he could not keep his mouth shut.

“Mark, I just told you I have nothing to do with it! I really don't know how those nudes are back on my cellphone! I would never let them know about the relationship I have with you and Jackson! I'm not retarded!" Jinyoung tried to insist on his innocence, but he knew he hadn't given the American any reason to believe he was being truthful. He just wished this time his stepbrother could see through him, so he tried to explain himself further. “I told them to lure Jack and JB here because I knew you would be safer. That they’d protect you if these jocks tried anything. I would never guess that you’d turn into some sort of Karate kid out of nowhere. Babe, you have no idea how worried I was about you! Please believe me.” The Korean pleaded with an anguished expression plastered on his features.

"How am I supposed to believe you, huh?! You Lims don't know the first thing about honesty. Taek-geun, Jaebeom, and you are not trustable at all. In order to hide the truth about the divorce, dear stepfather ignored what could happen to Dorine with you in that house. Jaebeom’s indecisiveness is not only about Youngjae! He would be with me now if you hadn’t filled his head with shit! I don’t even know how long you’ve been poisoning him. He doesn’t even trust his own feelings. That Choi kid has been in the city for a while now, and JB says they’re still trying to reconnect with each other! Fuck that! Why can’t he bear to see me with Jack? Would he choose me if I weren’t dating someone else? Of course not! Because he’s probably too ashamed to tell Taek-geun that he liked sucking his stepbrother’s cock. And you, where do I even start? You are a fucking walking lie." Mark yelled at him.

"Okay, maybe I am. I deserved the slaps and more! I should’ve never gotten involved with the soccer team, I should’ve never bought drugs from them. I should’ve never taken those nudes, but I didn’t keep them, nor showed them to anyone. I know it’s my fault we are in this situation now. Everything you said make sense, okay? But knowing what I know now, I intend to make it up to dad, to you and to your mom. What you said in that living room changed everything, and I’ll do my best to prove it to you how much. Just let me out of this chair, babe. Come on." Jinyoung pleaded, as he struggled to free his hands from the ropes that tied him to the chair.

"Do you really think I'm volatile, and that I would flee to The U.S. as soon as people found out about JB and I? Do you think I don't care about what happens to the Lims? Why did you say those things to your brother? Why do you have to be such an asshole to me all the time?" Mark was so done with the Korean that even if Jinyoung tried to explain himself, he wouldn't accept his excuses.

"Mark, call Jack and JB. They're still on the soccer field, right? Tell them Jae is home. They must be freaking out by now. They must be searching all the rooms of this school in order to save him. They're also worried for you and I at this point!" Jinyoung tried to reason with the older, but Mark wouldn't listen.

"No! We won't leave this freakin’ room till you give me proper answers. I already know you are a heartless prick, I just wanna know why." Mark stated firmly, but as expected, the younger simply avoided his questions and changed the subject.

"We don’t have time for this. You don’t wanna stay in this office any longer. You've just made a terrible enemy in this school. August D will get you back for this. Mark my words. Now fucking untie me before he comes back here with backup." The Korean argued, already losing his patience with the American.

"Let them come." Mark said defiantly and glared at the younger. "Forget about that weakling, forget about everyone. I wanna hear about your feelings, Jinyoung. I mean, in case you have them."

"Who's being the asshole now? Let me go right now, Mark Tuan!" Jinyoung whined, but Mark only shook his head and kneeled in front of him.

"Do you really hate me?" Mark asked in a bitter tone, staring hard into those magnetic eyes. The younger swallowed, and felt his resolution fail for an instant. He saw the older rest his hands on his thigh and grip on the fabric of his pants. The way the American roughly bit his own lower lip proved how much he ached for his sincerity. He could tell his stepbrother was used to his reticence and his vague responses. Yet, Jinyoung was aware that they wouldn't leave that building if he kept dodging him. The stubborn American had him imprisoned, literally. Therefore, he dared to give in a little.

"I never fell in love, Mark. I hoped I'd never have to go through such a hassle. I could try to hate you, I could act like I do, but you and I know that we have grown closer and that hatred has nothing to do with it. Your fucking madness is contagious. You're like an incurable disease that keeps spreading, and this is making me lose my sanity. I catch myself doing stuff and saying stuff just to keep you closer, and keep the others away from you." Jinyoung sighed, hoping that his stepbrother would relent.

"So I am like a cancer or something? You act like a dick and I'm the one to blame?!" Mark looked shocked and confused at the same time. The younger sighed in frustration. The difficulty Mark had to read him was also his fault. Jinyoung promised himself at that moment, that in the future he would do whatever he could to make his stepbrother realize when he was acting or not.

"You're worse than that. Because of you, I turned into the worst brother in the world and a shitty best friend. The fact that I don't want you to get involved with Jaebeom, or fall in love with Jackson should mean something, right? I don't want you to look at them like that. I only want you to look at me." Jinyoung said in a tone the older never heard him use before.

"You just admitted that I bring out the worst in you. Wow, should I be flattered? Are you trying to tell me you’re jealous? That means you like me or something? Or you're only telling me this so you can get free from those ropes?" Mark whispered, as he frowned and looked down. He didn't know what to believe.

"Look me in the eyes and see for yourself." Jinyoung challenged him, and as soon as Mark came very close to him to study his dark orbs, the younger lunged his head forward and captured his lips. Mark allowed that kiss. He deepened it. It was as spellbinding as he expected to be, but there was a stronger taste in it, and it wasn’t just the blood. It was reassuring and soothing at the same time. It was flavored with genuineness. The tongue ring wasn't there and somehow, he felt like he was able to experiment Jinyoung's mouth as a whole. When he unwillingly broke the kiss, he silently stared back at the flushed Korean and finally decided to untie the younger.

"Where's the tongue ring? You removed it after I almost bit your tongue off the last time?" Mark asked casually, trying not to pay attention to the burning look the Korean was giving him.

"It's gone. You're the only thing under my skin now." Jinyoung said simply and the older couldn't help but blush. As soon as the Korean's arms and hands were free, they found their way to Mark’s soaked body. The American’s clothes and hair were still wet from the rain and his stepbrother’s touches only made his damp skin more sensitive.

"What are you doing? I thought you wanted to get free." Mark declared as he tried to free his legs, but the younger's hands on his back distracted him.

"Too late. And you'd better take responsibility for it, babe." Jinyoung said sensuously, making the older laugh nervously.

"You're such a weirdo." Mark said a bit embarrassed, as the younger helped him to finish his task.

As soon as Jinyoung found himself completely detached from the chair, he pulled Mark to him and eagerly wrapped his arms around the American. The latter gasped and felt his heart accelerate. When Jinyoung brought their foreheads together, he was trapped once again by his powerful eyes.

“You’re gonna get your clothes all wet.” Mark exclaimed.

"I don’t mind. I’m just expressing my gratitude to my hero." Jinyoung said playfully and winked at him. "You must tell me all about how you learned those karate moves of yours. But now, I wanna hear something else." The Korean said charmingly.

"What?" Mark whispered, extremely mesmerized by Jinyoung's words and actions.

"I know it may sound a bit sudden, but, I’ve been wondering…If this throuple thing came to an end, who would you miss more? Jack or I?" Jinyoung asked gently. There was no trace of judgment in his voice. Mark pondered that question. He really did. He remembered being in Jackson's arms and telling him that he loved him, but he couldn't ignore the emotions he felt now that he was engulfed in the Korean's embrace. He wasn't ready to say goodbye to neither of them.

"I- I don't know." He said honestly, never tearing his eyes from the other.

"Let me change the question then. If you went back to America, who would you miss more? My brother, Jackson or me?" Jinyoung asked again, in a soothing voice.

"I-I-" Mark stammered and the anguished expression on his face denounced his indecision.

"You've been with Jack, I mean, alone in bed, right?" The Korean asked, still calm. The American looked away, disconnecting their foreheads, but Jinyoung’s arms remained wrapped around his waist.

"The first time you weren't there, we did it on his couch. Then these last few days we did it in his bed, in his kitchen, and all around his house. Jack and I are great as a couple, it’s not only sex that’s good, you now? It turns out he is the real boyfriend material. We go out, we have fun together, he never gets bored of me even when I don’t talk much, he’s understanding, and he cares about me.” Mark said honestly. He would never deny that his relationship with Jackson was the one that truly made him feel secure. The Lim brothers were too inconsistent.

“Didn’t you miss me while you were with him?” The Korean asked tentatively. The American shook his head in denial.

“Why would I? I didn’t spare a thought for you. It’s not like you deserved it! You childishly locked yourself in that mansion and worried everyone around you. Your dad and your brother were ready to call the fire department at any moment. I couldn’t care less about your antics. I was very angry because you badmouthed me behind my back. How could you say those things to your brother? I would never put JB in a difficult situation and leave the country." Mark gave him an accusing look. Jinyoung didn't try to defend himself this time.

"Were you eavesdropping on other people's conversation, babe?" The Korean asked with a smirk, as he pinched Mark's buttocks. The American flinched, but didn’t push him away.

"I didn't mean to snoop, but-"

"It's not like I've given you a choice, right? Those things I said to JB were just lies to keep him away from what's mine. It was just one of my many attempts to secure you by my side. After all, the week is almost over and you should’ve forgotten about him already. I guess I underestimated the effect he has on you. And I thought he wouldn’t be able to compete with Jack and I together. What a shame! Maybe Jackson and I should try harder from now on. I have my own plans, though. As soon as my brother is out of the picture, I will make Jack see, that no matter how many Chinese obscenities he whispers in your ear, it’s only my name you’ll be screaming through the walls of our bedroom. Rule 77 was made for you and I, babe." Jinyoung's sudden straightforwardness kept astonishing the older.

"What a greedy boy you are, and stupid too. You keep making assumptions by yourself. You and Jackson have that in common. Your rules, your arrangements, your deals, your promises and challenges…You forget that I’m just going along with your decisions because I want to. I can think for myself, you know? The moment I don’t feel like playing your games anymore, it’s over. Do you really think I give two shits about how you and Jack think that this throuple thing should work? I was never one to follow rules, you ought to know that. And what makes you think you’re the right one for me? How long do you think I’ll be able to put up with your shit? I’m no one’s property, Jinyoung! You say you’re using these despicable strategies to keep the others away from me. But do you really think that once JB and Jackson find out about your dirty moves you’ll be able to keep your best friend and your brother by your side? You keep saying I am yours. Well, can I say that you're mine too?" Mark asked annoyed. He hated the younger’s cockiness. The way his boyfriends patronized him made him realize how little they knew about him.

"If that’s what you want, go ahead. Honestly, I’m not in the mood for arguing. We should get out of here." Jinyoung said simply, as he kissed his cheek. He sounded like he had dismissed everything the American had just said. Mark could not believe his own ears. He wondered if the younger wasn’t taking him seriously. The elder’s tortured heart raced in his chest. He really didn’t know how to feel about his reply.

"Tell me you are mine then. I wanna hear this sentence straight from the horse’s mouth. Wait, scratch that. I want you to swear on your mother’s name that you’re not lying this time." Mark gave him a challenging look. The Korean pondered his words for a minute.

"Why is that so important to you? What happens once you hear me say it? Will you stop seeing Jackson then? Will these words cancel our throuple arrangement?” Jinyoung asked, as he examined the American’s troubled expression. He sighed and continued. “Let’s make a deal, Markie. When you decide you are only mine and no one else’s, you’ll tell me how you feel and I’ll say it back to you. And then, only then, it will be only us and our private madness against the world. For now, I know it’s too early for us to even formulate these words. Let’s not make hasty decisions at the moment. You seem confused trying to decide between Jaebeom, Jackson and me. I cannot blame you for being indecisive. My best friend and I were there when you had your first time. Jackson Wang is simple, and easy to love. Believe me, I know that. Everybody wants to have what he has. His tenacity, his boldness, his liveliness, and of course that perfect body. But trust me, he has his issues too.” The Korean commented, and paused for a bit, as if he tried not to say too much. Then he resumed his thought. “Anyways, you gave your Hongkonger boyfriend a month to prove himself. You already slept with Jack, just the two of you. You’ve been spending a lot of time together. Maybe you should try it with me too. See if it can help you make up your mind." Jinyoung suggested, as he brought their bodies even closer and brushed his lips against Mark’s.

“Then I should sleep with JB too, don’t you think? Perhaps, once I fuck him, he’ll be able to make up his mind.” A defiant Mark said provocatively. Something in Jinyoung’s eyes flickered for a second. His hold on Mark’s waist became tighter and his expression hardened. He opened his mouth to say something but not even a whisper came out of it. He simply pushed Mark to one of the tables of the office, throwing whatever object was on it on the floor, and attacked his body. He put all his weight on the American, making the latter lay his back on the table. Jinyoung quickly took off his shirt and unzipped his pants. Mark just observed him attentively. He didn’t really think Jinyoung was going to have sex with him in the school office, while Jaebeom and Jackson were just outside worrying about them. Then he wondered if that wasn’t exactly the Korean’s intention, make the other two catch them in the act. He immediately sat on the edge of table while the younger seemed busy removed his own pants and boxers. Mark was about to say something when Jinyoung’s lips captured his, and the American couldn’t help but wrap his arms around him when the other intensified his kiss. He couldn’t help but moan inside the other’s mouth. That foreign new taste in Jinyoung’s kiss dazzled him. He kissed him back with the same passion while stroking his bare buttocks. The younger was completely naked, and hard in front of him and he couldn’t hide his own arousal. He used his legs to draw the other closer and feel every inch of his skin with his fingers. Jinyoung just broke the kiss to suck on his neck and collarbone, while his hands undid the older’s pants. Mark was so entranced by his touches that he didn’t dare to stop the Korean when he started to jerk him off.

“Roll over and bend for me, babe.” Jinyoung whispered to him, before nibbling at his earlobe. As soon as the words were out, Mark’s hands pushed at his chest. Jinyoung gave him a puzzled and unsatisfied look.

“I can’t.” He tried to control the urge to pull the younger back to him. But he continued. “We can’t. You and Jack talked about this, right? I agreed to it. You can’t be inside of me.” Mark reminded him, but Jinyoung just dismissed his words and tried to kiss him again, but the other pushed him harder.

“What the fuck, Mark! I want you, and you want me too, right? I thought you were a rule breaker. Come on, babe, I’ll do it quickly. Please.” Jinyoung sounded desperate to have him, and Mark struggled to gather himself. He could not let that happen, even though he ached to have Jinyoung buried inside him at that moment. If he allowed that, he wouldn’t be able to look Jackson in the eye again, and he wasn’t sure if Jinyoung would keep that from his best friend. He was never really aware of his intentions.

“I want you too. But that’s not happening.” Mark said firmly. However, the strength of his arm failed for a second as his lustful eyes wandered all over Jinyoung’s chest, abs and hard dick. Within a second, the younger was all over him again. He pulled Mark’s hoodie over his head, and laid him on the table to properly pull down his jeans and underwear. He was already between his legs as he leaned over to kiss and stroke the American, who moaned his nickname sensuously and uttered some contradictory sentences.

“Nyoungie, we shouldn’t. Oh, shit! Nyoungie, don’t stop. Fuck!” Mark uttered as Jinyoung turned his attention to his genitals and sucked on his testicles and dick, while stroking his inner thighs. Jinyoung was a pro at giving head and with that kind of distraction, the American had already forgotten about JB and Jack on the soccer field. When Jinyoung started massaging his entrance though, Mark asked himself if he was really letting that happen.

“Open wide for me, babe. I need to stretch you.” Jinyoung whispered sexily, as he spit in his own hand and his finger searched for Mark’s hole again.

“Don’t put it in.” a panting Mark finally managed to say in a strained voice as he put both of his hands between his legs to block the entrance of the other’s finger. He wondered if Jinyoung would push his hands away and just do what he wanted to him. Deep down, the older wouldn’t stop him if he did. Mark could shove him away, yet, he was already too far gone to think straight. His desire for the other was stronger than his willpower at that moment. His mind and his heart were not in the right place. His body screamed ‘yes’, while his conscience exclaimed ‘no’. They stayed still for a while, and the sweating younger seemed to cautiously consider his next move. The older hadn’t voiced his consent for the penetration, though he seemed to be pretty into it. The younger was drunk with lust, yet, he knew that his decision would define their relationship from now on. Jinyoung needed to prove Mark that he took into consideration everything he had said earlier. Mark complained that his boyfriends often made decisions without consulting him, now it was a great opportunity to show the American that his feelings and opinion were also his priority. The Korean really took his stepbrother by surprise when he spit on his hands again, crawled over him on the table, and kissed him deeply. Jinyoung slowly inserted a finger in his own ass while straddling his extremely aroused stepbrother. Mark’s hungry eyes followed each move of Jinyoung’s finger that moved in and out of his hole. It didn’t take long for Jinyoung to roughly impale his own ass on Mark’s erection. The American had to control himself not to shoot his seed inside the younger as soon as he felt his tender walls around him.

“Oh, fuck!” The Korean whined, obviously too focused on turning his own pain into pleasure. The American stared in awe as Jinyoung started moving up and down on him. He took hold of Jinyoung’s hips and the younger immediately leaned forward to allow Mark’s hands to further explore his skin. They groaned and moaned together, catching up with each other’s rhythm. Jinyoung rolled his hips and panted as he rode the older, while the latter stroked his dick with more intensity. They seemed to forget where they were, nothing around them mattered. One of the phones rang on the floor next to them, but they didn’t care anymore. They didn’t know that the ringing of that very phone was drawing attention of those who were looking for them.

When the pair reached their climax, they had no idea that they had a horrified audience this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is it? Who are they? XD


	23. Mayday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One more person finds out about the MarJinSon throuple ...

“Are you guys done?” The kid sounded obviously irritated. His question echoed in the office, startling the pair of lovers who laid against each other on the table. He had his back turned to them, as he leaned on the door. He wouldn’t allow himself to look at his stark naked hyungs. The pair didn’t even have time to enjoy their last seconds of afterglow when the familiar voice interrupted their intimate moment. Jinyoung disentangled himself from his stepbrother so quickly that when he tried to stand up he almost stumbled on the floor. Both him and Mark hurried to put their clothes on. They had cum all over them, but they simply didn’t care. Choi Youngjae was right there, and although he wasn’t looking at them, they could tell by his tone, that he was disgusted with what he had probably seen earlier.

“What the fuck! What are you doing here? They said you weren’t in school.” Jinyoung complained in a scolding tone, as he buttoned his school uniform and pulled his pants up.

“Yeah, I wasn’t. I was back at the mansion this whole time wondering where the heck JB was. We have been fighting these days, so I thought he had gone back to his father’s house. I didn’t want to call him directly because I thought he was avoiding me and he needed some space. I thought about calling Sseunie, but I could swear Jaebeom wouldn’t be out with him at this goddamn hour. They’re not in good terms either. For some reason I couldn’t find my damn mobile. Then I used the mansion’s telephone to call your house, but no one picked up the phone, then I called your mobile, but I guess, you were too busy with your hands.” Youngjae shook his head in frustration and took a deep breath. “If it wasn’t for Bambam I’d never know what is going on.”

The kid was clearly upset with what he had just witnessed. Minutes earlier, when he heard the sound of the phone ringing in that room, he knew someone was there, and as he got closer to the door, the sound of the phone wasn’t the only noise he heard. He was ready to have his eyes scarred as soon as he opened the door. But he didn’t expect to see JB’s twin and the American having sex in the middle of the school office. Completely astonished, he turned away from the door and decided to ran away from there. Yet, when he was about to leave the scene, he noticed Dorine and Taek-geun walking in his direction. He had to run to meet them halfway the school hall in order not to draw their attention to the office. He managed to successfully drag them to the principal’s room making up some silly story about how being back to Kirin High affected his anxiety. Mr. Lim and his wife gave him some counseling and after that, Youngjae went back to the office in order to get the pair out of the room. At least, when he returned, the moaning noises had died down.

“How long have you been standing there?” Mark asked worriedly. He didn’t plan to get caught, and although it wasn’t some random student or faculty member who had found them, he wasn’t sure if Youngjae would keep his mouth shut. The older would hate to force the kid’s silence. However, he would, if he had to.

“Oh, don’t worry. I didn’t watch the whole thing. I’d probably puke if I did.” Youngjae said as he crossed his arms and shook his head at them in disbelief. Then he continued. “By the way, your parents are still in the school, you should thank me for distracting them, because they were about to come in here. I guess I don’t owe you anymore, do I, hyung?” Youngjae looked disappointed now. Since he met JB’s stepbrother, he looked up to the American. He admired Mark for his courage, his forthright opinions and courage to do what he would never dare to. Mark’s outburst at the Lims’ residence shocked and amazed him at the same time. He was relieved that the secret was out, even though Jaebeom seemed to be having a hard time dealing with it. Youngjae was grateful for what the foreigner had done, he felt like he owed him a favor. He believed that what Mark did helped him clear things up with Jaebeom and their relationship had finally found closure. But now, he realized that another unspeakable fact threatened to disturb that family once again, and Mark was at the center of it. He couldn’t conceive the idea of two twins being attracted to the same guy, who happened to be their stepbrother. Youngjae knew that JB was unaware of what was going on, and he felt extremely bad for him. Was Mark playing the two brothers while seeing Jackson all this time? The kid was staggered to find out that Mark wasn’t who he thought he was. The foreigner had criticized his stepfather for hiding a truth that could hurt both his sons, and now, the teenager seemed to be doing something similar. Not only Jaebeom would be devastated if he found out about the affair, their parents would be appalled. Youngjae wondered if the older was infected by Mr. Lim’s hypocrisy. He remembered when the American boldly asked the principal of Kirin High School if he was raising his kids to be a bunch of hypocrites. What an irony! He couldn’t be more disappointed at the older at that moment. Youngjae thought that Mark Tuan acted exactly like a Lim boy now.

“Shit! If Dad and Dorine are here we should leave ASAP!” Jinyoung announced as soon as he put his shoes on. When he glanced at Mark and noticed that he was already half-dressed he teased his dongsaeng. “You can look at us now, there’s nothing much to see anymore, unfortunately. But you can join us some other time. I don’t mind being watched, it’s kind of a big turn on.” His racy invitation was followed by an inconvenient fit of laughter. It made his stepbrother glare at him and the kid gasp. The older dismissed his crude comment and faced Youngjae, now that the younger turned around and stared hard at him.

“Where are they now? How did you find us here, kid?” The American asked, trying to digest the youngster’s words. He felt dirty. Rain, sperm, sweat clung to his skin. He wanted to leave that office, that school, his own body. He didn’t regret what he had just done. He wanted Jinyoung and the latter wanted him just the same. The only problem was that one more person had just learned about their secret, and he couldn’t help but wonder what Youngjae would do with that information.

“When I called Bambam to ask if he knew where JB was, he told me all of you were probably here, looking for me. He also told me about the shady text JB had supposedly received from Jinyoung. So I had to come here to check what was going on. Jesus Christ, I wish I hadn’t!” Youngjae looked away, still bothered by the whole thing. “By the way, the Lim couple is at the principal’s room, we’d better hurry and get out. They are probably discussing you, Jinyoung hyung. I kept them away from here for some minutes and the only subject that came to my mind to distract them was how being back to the school that made look like an arsonist in the eyes of other students, actually makes me feel. They might rethink that matter and give you some sort of punishment. Sorry about that.” Youngjae said sarcastically. Mark sighed. He would rather see the boy smiling foolishly than looking so displeased. 

“Nevermind. I guess I deserve it anyways. By the way, here’s your phone. Yoon-gi and the other guys stole it from you.” Jinyoung said, as he handed one of the phone to his dongsaeng. Only then, the younger noticed the bruise on his cheek. He sneered at Jinyoung.

“That’s a nasty bruise, hyung. It might look worse in a few hours. Imagine how your face will become when your bestie Jackson finds out that you’re sleeping with his boyfriend!” Youngjae said harshly, as he threw his phone on the floor. The sound of the object hitting the ground caught the other two by surprise. Jinyoung frowned, he had never seen Youngjae like that. Not even when he bullied the kid to death when he was trying to make him leave town. Mark immediately picked up the phone from the floor. He knew that an important content was saved in there and in the other two phones, so he simply put it in his pocket and gave Jinyoung his phone back.

“My boyfriend knows and he’s okay with it. What I do not understand Choi Youngjae, is why you’re so upset about it.” Mark said firmly as he raised an eyebrow at the boy and walked past him. His conflicted dongsaeng seemed to struggle to say what he wanted to, so he just watched Mark and Jinyoung walk ahead of him, exiting the office. He quietly started to follow them, ignoring how chilly the weather had turned outside. When the trio left the school building, and reached the schoolyard, they realized that the rain hadn’t stopped yet. Mark was walking fast alongside his stepbrother, but Youngjae still managed to caught up to them, grip his foreign hyung’s wrist and turn him around. The American was taken aback by his action. He couldn’t understand why the younger was so upset. He hoped Youngjae hadn’t seen what had happened to Yoongi and his gang. He didn’t want to have to explain that, he didn’t want to have to tell his dongsaeng that he had already done worse back in America. Mark knew that leaving the younger in the dark was also a way of keeping him safe. He just had to remind himself that he had to delete that video from Youngjae’s phone before returning it to him.

“He chose you.” Youngjae gritted his teeth. Both Mark and Jinyoung eyed him in confusion. Then he continued. “JB resents me for not telling him about his parents’ forced divorce before I left. He feels guilty about his Mom, and he told me he cannot stay with someone who hid that kind of truth from him, even if it was for his own sake. We’re not getting back together and I was fine with it! I didn’t appreciate to hear that we are over, but I understood him. Your speech at the Lims’ residence conquered him. Shit, I couldn’t argue with that! If I were Jaebeom, I would have chosen you too. You didn’t shy away from the consequences of your revelation, hell, you didn’t even care! The highly spontaneous and confident American who does whatever the heck he wants. But look at you now, you have secrets too. And this one hyung, this one is a killer.” Youngjae accused, looking directly in his eyes.

“Y-you are lying.” A wide-eyed Mark managed to say. He couldn’t believe JB had finally made up his mind and had dumped Youngjae. Choi Fucking Youngjae, his first and only love. The bright kid from Mokpo who JB missed like crazy, the boy who had taught him what love was, his sunshine, Got6’s otter. Mark had always been jealous of the kid, even before he arrived in town. He envied his and JB’s connection. He was tired of hearing people say how Jaebeom and Youngjae were perfect for each other and how their relationship would last till the end of days. That relationship used to be so strong that JB would even get depressed when the date of their anniversary was near. JB had stopped talking to his mother and stayed away from her and Jinyoung because of Youngjae. He had told Mark that he reminded him of Youngjae, but he wasn’t Youngjae. Mark never thought he could compete with the kid, actually, he didn’t even try. Dark thoughts clouded Mark’s mind when he met Youngjae at Yugyeom’s living room. Deep down he wished the kid would never be able to meet JB again. Not even when JB explained to him that he needed to see Jae to make up his mind. The older consoled himself with the thought that one day Youngjae’s story with JB would die, that 2jae would simply disappear, because nothing lasts forever. Mark kept those gloomy thoughts to himself, in order to keep himself from having a breakdown. After Joey was gone, after Eric had broken up with him, JB had become his pillar, the one who promised to stay in his life for good, the one who looked after him even better than his own mother. But that was before Youngjae decided to show up again. Once he did, Mark convinced himself that he had no chance with Jaebeom. No matter how much time his stepbrother said he would take to make up his mind, sooner or later JB would leave him, just like all the people who really mattered to him once did. Mark assumed that he could not fight against fate, and JB would be inevitably snatched away by Choi Youngjae. The same boy, who now revealed to him that JB didn’t want him. The American knew that if he had heard those news months ago, he would probably be ecstatic, but now, he just felt a profound sadness overcome him. Racing thoughts assaulted his mind within seconds. If he hadn’t misunderstood JB’s words and patiently waited for him to make up his mind, would they be together right now? Would he be in a ‘normal’ lovingly monogamous relationship with him? Mark had initially gotten involved with Jackson and Jinyoung because he couldn’t stand JB’s constant rejection. JB didn’t want to touch him because he was a virgin, so Mark got rid of his virginity, completely. And he enjoyed it, he loved it. If he couldn’t have JB, he would have whoever was within his reach. His boyfriends became very dear to him, once he believed Youngjae was certainly the chosen one for JB. He could live with that, and he wanted to live as intensely as he could without so much family drama. Yet, was it the right choice? He would never know. Jinyoung’s voice was the only thing that could made his mind stop spinning at that moment.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear you’ve been dumped, Jae. I don’t know what my brother is thinking, because you see, Mark is not interested anymore.” Jinyoung said quickly, as he noticed the expression on the older’s face. He took Mark’s hand in his, and hold it tight against his.

“I can’t believe Jackson is okay with that! I mean, he sounded like he was really into you. I guess you’re just one of his and Jinyoung’s playthings after all. Poor, JB. He obviously overestimated you, I guess we all did.” Youngjae sounded hurt and bitter. He ignored Jinyoung, his eyes never left Mark’s.

“Jae-ah, watch your tongue!” Jinyoung scolding tone was louder now. “Mark is not mine or Jack’s toy, he’s our boyfriend.” He concluded proudly, as he wrapped an arm around the older’s shoulder. Youngjae furrowed his brows, trying to understand what his hyung meant.

“Shut up, you’re only making things worse.” The American warned his stepbrother, as he ran a nervous hand through his hair. However, Jinyoung only felt more motivated to keep talking.

“It’s called a throuple relationship. Never heard of it? It’s a grown up thing, Jae. Google it later. We don’t have time to explain it to you now, okay? Where’s Jack and my brother, anyway? You kept them from watching the show?” Jinyoung said cynically with a smirk plastered on his lips. He couldn’t care less if Jaebeom learned about his relationship with Mark, in fact, he was hoping he did. If Youngjae shouted it from the rooftops, the kid would be doing him a favor. Deep down, he was getting sick and tired of hiding his feelings.

“Mark hyung, Jaebeom must know and he should hear it from you.” Youngjae said seriously, not really paying attention to Jinyoung’s ramblings. The American held his gaze and came dangerously closer to the kid.

“No, he doesn’t. Whatever is going on between me, Jinyoung and Jackson, it’s nobody business but ours. Jaebeom has nothing to do with it, and you don’t either.” Mark inhaled. “You keep finding yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, Jae-ah. You’re good at keeping your mouth shut, so I hope you won’t have a problem with keeping your nose out of this. You see, I’m not Jinyoung. I don’t make empty threats, I make promises. And I swear I will fucking kill you, if you-”

“Hey! Hey, hey! Chill out, babe. Jae is our friend, okay. Not an enemy, definitely not an enemy. He won’t say anything, stop scaring the kid. Jesus, you’re scaring me too.” Jinyoung said quickly in a conciliatory manner, as he put himself between the two and pushed Mark away gently. He had just realized hours ago how Mark could be unpredictable and he wouldn’t take any chances now that he was aware that there was so much that he didn’t know about the American. He suddenly remembered that fateful car ride, and how he foolishly intended to manipulate the older. That stunt could’ve them both killed if he didn’t stop the car. Jinyoung had heard how Mark had violently pushed Youngjae to the floor of Yugyeom’s house, he saw what he did to Yoon-gi and those other students. He had to calm him down, now.

“Do I scare you?” Mark frowned at him, finally taking his eyes off Youngjae.

“Shitless.” Jinyoung added, smirking at him. Mark’s expression softened. He almost smiled, but when two other figures appeared at the schoolyard, he turned nervous.

“Oh no, Jin! Who was the soon-to-be-dead son of a bitch that did this to your face?” Jackson ran to Jinyoung and touched his cheek to better examine the damage. Jaebeom also studied his twin’s state and cursed under his breath. Although his brother said he was okay, Jaebeom wanted to take him to a hospital. Jackson kissed Jinyoung’s other cheek and ruffled his hair. He asked again who did it, but Jinyoung just told them that he didn’t know because the one who hit him was wearing a ski mask to cover his face. He said he blacked out and woke up tied to chair. The youngest Lim was indeed an actor, Youngjae had no doubt of that. According to Jinyoung’s version of the story, when Mark found him in the school office and freed him from the ropes, his attackers had already left the scene. Jackson and Jaebeom listened to his lies attentively. Youngjae was impressed by Jinyoung’s performance, he was totally in awe as he watched the interaction between the trio. Jinyoung could convince the pair of whatever he wanted them to believe. Youngjae’s body tensed up when he felt Mark’s glare on him, it was like the older was ready to deck him whenever he dared to contradict Jinyoung’s words. However, what made the kid freeze on the spot was Jaebeom’s arms around him.

“I was relieved to hear you weren’t kidnapped by those jocks. Yugyeom and Bam called me and told me you were at the mansion. They also told me you decided to come here to check on us. You really shouldn’t have! You weren’t their target, but they could’ve changed their minds if they saw you roaming around the school. Thank God, you are safe. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.” JB confessed, as he held him tight. Mark sighed at the sight of the full body hug. How could Youngjae not be the chosen one? Shit, that was confusing and definitely unnerving. He told himself that he wouldn’t believe that 2Jae had broken up until he heard it from Jaebeom himself.

“Mark, why weren’t you behind the bleachers? I mean, I’m glad you helped Jin to get out, but that could’ve gone completely wrong.” Jackson didn’t sound happy, as he eyed him quizzically.

“I needed to pee. Then while I was walking to the bathroom I heard something at the office.” Mark clearly wasn’t so good at making up stories like Jinyoung.

“Tell us exactly what happened. Did you see the face of any of the fuckers who messed with my brother? Where the fuck did they go?” JB was incensed when he let go of Youngjae and turned to Mark.

“No idea, it’s just like Jin said. They weren’t there when I entered the office. Maybe they chickened out, who knows.” The American fully confirmed his stepbrother’s ludicrous tale.

“We called you! Why didn’t you pick up your phone? We’ve been searching this school like crazy after you!” Jaebeom towered over him, Mark tried not to remember what Youngjae had just told him. Having his stepbrother so dangerously close now, made him feel claustrophobic.

“It was on silent mode, sorry.” The American said quickly, as JB and his Hongkonger boyfriend eyed him in disbelief. Mark wondered what they would say if they knew about the porno video he had just recorded or the hot sex he had with his twin on a random table of the school office.

“Those guys are just messing with us, then? I mean, they made us come all the way here for nothing? They just punched the lights out of Jin, tied him up and disappeared into thin air? I don’t get it, was it just a prank?” The Hongkonger seemed lost. A pensive Jaebeom struggled to find an answer to that question. A deadpan Mark shrugged. An anguished Youngjae looked away, while a deceitful Jinyoung simply feigned ignorance. 

The five teenagers avoided running into Dorine and Taek-Geun when they reached the parking lot. The Lim couple was just leaving as the same time as them. So the five teenagers quickly got into Jaebeom’s car and finally left Kirin High school. The ride was mostly quiet. Since it was very late, Jinyoung suggested that they should all go to the Park’s mansion and get some sleep. There was enough room for everybody there and the group promptly agreed with him. The rain had stopped by the time they arrived there. Jackson noticed his boyfriend’s uneasiness, and offered to accompany him home, but Mark insisted on joining his stepbrothers that night. The American wanted to keep an eye on Youngjae, he believed that the kid would say something to JB as soon as he left them alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to update guys!  
> I've been too busy lately.  
> A second part of this might come out soon. I just need to do some more editing.  
> Hope u r all doing well.  
> Thanks for sticking around.*-*


	24. Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two ships in crisis...

To their surprise there were two familiar faces waiting for them. Bambam and Yugyeom were at the gate of the mansion when their five hyungs came out of the car. They were obviously worried about that whole kidnapping story, so both maknaes felt the need to see for themselves that they were okay.

They ended up staying at the mansion too. Rooms had to be shared now that the seven of them needed a bed to sleep. Bambam and Yugyeom promptly called dibs on the best bedroom of the place, J.Y. Park's. Their hyungs didn't care, since the room they had chosen was quite far from the others, and whatever ruckus the pair made in there, it wouldn't bother their beauty sleep.

The mansion had 10 bedrooms, but five of them were live-in staff bedrooms. They were small, without windows and they hadn't been cleaned since the twins' mother had died. Therefore, Jackson, Mark, Jaebeom, Jinyoung and Youngjae had to decide how to share the remaining four bedrooms of the place.

"Mark and I can stay in one bedroom, of course." Jackson suggested naturally. While still damp from the rain and completely worn down, the four of them discussed the subject in the living room.

"You would love that, wouldn't you?" Jinyoung commented knowingly. "Maybe I should stay with you two to make sure you don't ruin the sheets. I know you, Jack. My stepbrother's painful moans would echo through the walls of this place. I hate my grandfather, but it’s still his house, and this kind of behavior is not appropriate." The young Lim smirked. The foreigners raised an eyebrow at him. His boyfriends knew exactly what he was doing. Once the three of them joined a single room, that's when the sheets would never be the same again. However, this time someone else was also aware of his strategy.

"Nonsense. He's the oldest hyung. He should have a room for himself. Jinyoung and Jaebeom hyung are used to share a room together. I can stay with Sseunie tonight." Youngjae said quickly and Jaebeom obviously thought that his suggestion was the more convenient.

"I agree with Jae. Mark, your bedroom is upstairs on the left. I'll bring you some clean clothes later. You can go ahead and take a shower." JB stated, as Jinyoung frowned at him.

"I can lend him my clothes. You don't have to bother him in his room so late at night." Now that Jinyoung knew that Jaebeom had dumped Youngjae, he would have to keep tabs on his brother's every move. Jackson wasn't aware of the latest events and Jinyoung had to find a way to let him know that his brother was a real threat now.

Jaebeom didn't seem to like his twin's suggestion, but before he could protest, the American finally opened his mouth.

"Youngjae has been living in this mansion too. He can lend me his clothes, I'm sure they'll fit me. Besides, I'd rather share a room with him if you guys don’t mind. We didn't have a chance to know each other well since he came to Seoul. Now it's a great opportunity for us to bond. You guys can have the other rooms for yourselves." Mark said firmly, giving his dongsaengs a fake smile. The American suddenly remembered one breathtaking make out session he had with JB in that same living room. He didn’t know why his mind suddenly traveled back toward that moment, but all he wanted to do now, was to go into some other room of the house and beg Youngjae to not make him look bad in JB’s eyes. Jinyoung had already said unnecessary things to his brother, and if the kid decided to say something more, his reputation would be definitely ruined. And the worst part was that he wouldn’t be able to deny it. Jackson noticed his boyfriend was behaving awkwardly, he saw the tension between the two brothers and the apprehension in Youngjae's eyes.

"Fair enough. I guess it's settled then. Why don't we all just go to our rooms and get cleaned up, huh? If we stay one more minute in these clothes we'll catch a cold." The Hongkonger suggested, calmly. He kissed Mark's cheek and wished him and the others goodnight. He planned to sneak into Jinyoung's room later, and ask him what exactly was going on, or maybe steal Mark from Youngjae's room and bring him to his, but right now everybody needed to do their own stuff.

Surprisingly, the other four teenagers listened to him and went to shower. Since Youngjae and Mark stayed in the same room, the American took advantage of that opportunity to beat some sense in the younger. As soon as they were alone in their room, he promptly asked Youngjae if he had any intention to tell JB about what he had seen that night, but Youngjae simply dismissed his worries and told Mark that he should be the one to do that using all his ‘American spontaneity’. The older wished to extend the argument, convince Youngjae that he had no reason to tell JB about his affairs, but the stubborn dongsaeng cut him off and announced he’d should shower first. The frustrated American sat on the bed and sighed. After a few minutes, an unexpected visitor decided to stop by the room. Since the younger was in the bathroom, Mark was the one who opened the door when Jaebeom came knocking on it. 

"Are you two gonna be okay? Do you need anything?" JB said, as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. He could hear Youngjae in the shower and he also knew that Jackson and Jinyoung were showering. He checked the maknaes' room and they were already fast sleep. He needed some minutes alone with his stepbrother, and he needed now.

"We're fine. Thanks." Mark replied, as he bit his lower lip and looked away. Now that he knew Jaebeom's answer, he just didn't know how to behave in front of him. And the fact that Youngjae could possibly tell JB about the throuple relationship he was having with Jinyoung and Jackson made him even more nervous around his stepbrother.

"I just came to thank you for helping Jin." Jaebeom started, a bit shy.

"I'm a Lim now. He's family, right? He would've done the same for me." Mark couldn't believe he had just said that. He suddenly felt like trash. He bit his upper lip and tried to make his body relax, yet, he couldn’t.

"When you disappeared from those bleachers I almost had a heart attack. You keep defying me, Bunny. I guess I always liked that about you." Jaebeom said softly as he approached the older. Mark swallowed heard when he heard the nickname escape from his lips.

"You should go. Jae will be out soon." Mark said when he felt JB's breath hit his face. His stepbrother was so close to him now that if he moved a bit forward, their noses would touch.

"Jae and I are over. You should know I chose you. Even before he came back, I knew it was you. I mean, when I took you to that music room at school, I knew I had already made up my mind." JB said at once, as one of his hands caressed the elder’s cheek, and the other held his chin just to make Mark face him.

"Don't say that. I'm in a relationship now, you know that I'm not available, you're too late, I’m not into you anymore, Jackson and I are together for real-"

"He couldn't make you forget me. We both know that. Leave him and be with me. You're only in this relationship because of my indecision." Jaebeom whispered, as he slowly rubbed his nose against Mark's, and the latter held his breath. He knew he had to push JB away, but he didn't. He missed JB's proximity and the warmth he exhaled was inebriating.

"No. I love him. And you love Jae too. You're just punishing him." Mark said as he looked deeply into his sharp eyes.

"Spend the night in my room tonight, Bunny. Only then, you'll know that Jae is the last thing on my mind right now. I'm not punishing him for hiding things from me, I'm just ready to let him go and eager to let you in." JB stated firmly as his arms found their way to the elder’s lean waist, pulling them close to each other. Mark gasped in his embrace. The bold invitation hammered inside his head.

“I will not sleep with you, I’m not a cheater.” Mark felt cornered, but tempted.

“You have no idea how much I want your lips on mine.” Jaebeom confessed, completely lost in Mark’s doe eyes. Before the older could protest, he distributed kisses from his cheek to his earlobe.

"Don't make me kick your balls again. I'll do it if you don't let me go." Mark said weakly. There was no tinge of threat in his voice. He trembled a bit when he felt JB's nose sniff his neck. His heartbeats accelerated when a question was whispered against his ear.

"Why are you wearing Jinyoung's cologne?" JB abandoned his neck to have a better look at his face. His quizzical expression deepened when Mark seemed unable to answer that simple question. The alarmed American took a few steps away from him, making his stepbrother frown. Jinyoung's smell was probably still lingering on him after they had sex at the school office. Mark ran a hand through his hair nervously and as soon as his eyes fell upon the bracelet around his wrist, he knew he wouldn't be able to just throw away everything he and Jackson had so easily. He blinked multiple times and swallowed hard. The older didn't know how to explain himself to his stepbrother and he didn't have the heart to lie to him either. The uncomfortable silence only lasted a few more seconds, till Youngjae stepped out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist, eyeing the pair suspiciously.

"Am I interrupting something? Should I go to the other room and leave you two alone?" The kid sounded defeated. Mark shook his head vehemently.

"Nonsense. JB is leaving. He just came to see if we needed anything. Right?" Mark replied shortly as he glanced at JB. The latter didn't confirm his lame excuse, but Mark didn't care. He just ignored the confusion in Jaebeom's face, walked past Youngjae, and before he entered the bathroom, he gave the kid a warning.

"He's all yours. But remember, I don't do threats. If you value your life, you'd better think before you act." The older whispered very close to him. Youngjae turned his head a little to meet his eyes. Mark put on a cold expression on his features before he locked himself in the bathroom.

"What did he say to you?" Jaebeom asked curiously, putting his hands in his pockets. His gaze wandered around the room before they fixed on the younger. Jaebeom struggled to ignore the fact that Choi Youngjae was half-naked in front of him. His angelic round face conserved its cherubic appearance. His body was still exactly as he remembered, neither muscular, nor too thin. His soft skin glowed under the bedroom light. His damp bangs fell over his sparkly eyes. His pursing lips and plump cheeks never failed to capture JB's full attention. Nothing had changed in him physically. He was perfect in his own way. His adorable ex-lover, his cute Samchon. Got6's Sunshine. The one who left him and hid things from him. Jaebeom quickly reminded himself of that and took a deep breath.

"Do you really wanna know?" Youngjae asked as he approached his ex, and put one hand on his shoulder. He wondered how hard it would be for Jaebeom to accept another harsh truth. He wanted to tell him everything, but the words refused to leave his mouth. His hesitancy wasn't because of Mark's warnings, he just didn't want to see JB sadder than he already was. He thought that maybe, if he could make his ex fall for him again, he wouldn't be so scared to break his battered heart in the future.

"Samchon." Jaebeom sighed deeply as he watched Youngjae stood on tiptoe to kiss him on his forehead. JB was tempted to have a taste of their sweet past again. When the younger's lips left his skin, Jaebeom lost his composure for a moment, and grabbed the nape of his neck. Memories flashed through his head. Unforgettable ones. Their lips were almost touching each other, but Youngjae's next words brought him back to reality.

"I love you, hyung. Please forgive me." The younger murmured, and suddenly the other's eyes grew wide. Jaebeom released him abruptly and gave him a hopeless look.

"I can't. Don’t insist. There’s no use." He said shortly, turned away from the kid, and walked out of the bedroom, leaving Youngjae's heart in pieces.

Meanwhile, Jackson found his way to Jinyoung's room. The Hongkonger knew that JB would be certainly guarding Mark and Youngjae's door, so he took advantage of that to spend some quality time with his old friend with benefits. The latter told him everything that happened at the school office and the foreigner still wasn't able to digest the whole story.

"We have to warn the others. You know how Yoongi is like. That kid knows how to hold a grudge. He's worse than you." Jackson commented, still shocked by the fact that Mark was the hero of that night.

"No one is supposed to know, okay? The less people know about this, the better. Plus, we don't need to worry about them for now. Those morons won't dare to cross us. Mark took care of everything. We have the jerking off video, remember? Yoongi is not stupid, he won't risk ruining his own reputation. He knows about you, me and Mark, and the three of us know about what happened in that school office. We protect each other's dirty secret, that's the deal. Let's not involve anyone else in this. If we tell our friends and my brother that Yoongi and his gang have some dirty on us, we'll have to tell them about our throuple relationship." Jinyoung explained, hoping the Hongkonger would agree with him. He didn’t mind if Jaebeom or Yugyeom found out. In fact, he was sure that once JB found out, he would finally give up on Mark. However, Jinyoung genuinely feared Bambam’s tendency to talk too much, and if any of that information reached Dorine’s ears, he wouldn’t know how to control the situation. In a worst-case scenario, their parents would send Mark back to America.

"Yugyeom and Bambam already have an idea of what's going on. Mark told them we had a threesome." Jackson said casually, without a trace of worry in his voice. He was sure that nobody in Got7 would let that kind of information leak. He knew the Korean would be bothered about that, he just had to convince him that it want a big of a deal. He was used to be there for his friend whenever he became a bundle of nerves. Jackson had always been the medicine for his poor emotional health.

"Mark did what?!" The Korean asked startled, while Jackson just chuckled at his reaction. The Korean was amusingly overdramatic sometimes. The Hongkonger just rolled his eyes at him when his friend pinched his arm. Jackson enjoyed the coziness of that moment. He was sitting on the edge of the bed while Jinyoung laid his head on his lap. The Hongkonger ran his hand through the other’s scalp, trying to get him to relax. He wondered how many times they would be able to share moments like that, once he and Mark became monogamous. Jackson was absolutely sure he would pass the so-called ‘fidelity test’. He just hoped that month wouldn’t be his last with Jinyoung. He would certainly miss his friendship. If the Korean decided to break their bond because of the ‘exclusive status’ he would adopt in his relationship with Mark after that month, there was nothing he could do about it.

"Well, Yugyeom said Mark needed someone to talk to. He showed up at his house looking for advice and Bam was there too. By the way, our maknae claims we are not a good influence on Mark. According to him, you and I are making a huge mistake. Gyeom also believes that Got7's oldest hyung will be sorry when this is over. He fears that our American lover will be forcefully sent to the U.S. because of us." Jackson said in a mocking voice. He never believed that possibility. The foreigner was always an optimistic character, unlike Jinyoung. The latter’s heart skipped a beat when he heard his friend voice his very worst nightmare.

"I'm not letting that happen. As long as he and Bambam keep their mouths shut, I really don't care about what they think." Jinyoung stated confidently. The other furrowed his brows. The Hongkonger had just realized that Jinyoung wanted Mark to permanently stay in Korea. Perhaps, he wanted more than that. While they chatted away earlier about how their martial artist boyfriend had become their prince in shining armor that night, Jackson couldn't help but notice that the Korean's tone became kinder as he talked about his stepbrother. He concluded that Mark had definitely grown on the Korean. Jackson just didn’t know how much. He wondered if Jinyoung would also get that warm fuzzy feeling inside whenever he thought of the American. Jackson asked himself what he would do if the Korean ended up falling for Mark. Would that complicate their relationship? He didn't want to think about that now. He was used to have him in his life. He had spent most of his time in Korea around Jinyoung, he loved being his friend, even if he didn't agree with him in many occasions. The Korean could be difficult to deal with, but Jackson knew how hard the divorce of his parents and the cancer of his mother forced the young Lim to harden his heart against the world. They had each other’s backs. The Korean could bare his teeth to the world, but whenever they were alone like that, Jinyoung would show him his fragility, his lack of confidence, his despair, and his tattered soul. Jackson cared deeply for him and only the two of them knew how special their bond was.

"We can trust the kids. Even Bam promised me he wouldn’t utter a word about this even if he was subjected to the worst kind of torture. Well, there's still Youngjae. He saw you and Mark doing it, right? If he tells JB what's going on between you and his dearest stepbrother, the kid might have a chance to get his boyfriend back. Think about it, Jaebeom would certainly get angry, and tell our secret to Mark’s mom just to fuck with our lives." Jackson said thoughtfully. Perhaps not everyone in Got7 would be willing to keep quiet about that. He should not take the subject so lightly.

"I really don’t know how my brother would react. He’s different these days. But Youngjae is not the revengeful kind. He must be feeling like shit right now, but he won't say anything. Poor kid, I kinda feel bad for him." Jinyoung confessed, refusing to believe that the 2Jae couple was completely torn apart. He had done all he could to separate them in the past, and now he felt somewhat guilty for their current relationship status.

"You feel bad for him? That's a first! Good you’re seeing people in a better light now." Jackson chuckled and eyed the other suspiciously. "By the way, sex in the school office is kinda wild. That's definitely my kind of thing. Damn, I wish I was there. It must've been pretty hot." Jackson commented, hoping to hear more details. Actually, what he really wanted to be sure of was if the rules weren't broken. Jinyoung's smirked at his comment. He could easily read between the lines.

"In case you are wondering, he topped me. Our arrangement remains intact. I guess he's more committed to this throuple relationship than I am." The Korean assured the other. Yet, he couldn't help but smile when he remembered how Mark was barely able to resist the idea of bottoming for him.

"You're catching feelings, aren't you?" Jackson asked out of the blue, taking the Korean by surprise. The Hongkonger regretted asking, but it was already out and he couldn’t take it back. There was no vestige of judgment or jealousy in his voice and that made Jinyoung even more alarmed. He didn’t know what his friend was thinking. He looked up into Jackson's scrutinizing eyes and blinked a few times.

"What if I am?" he asked in a raspy voice and moved from his lap to sit beside him.

“Are you?” Jackson finally asked and time stood still. Jinyoung’s answer could change everything they had built throughout the years. Jackson’s time in Seoul had always been full of Jinyoung. He survived days of homesickness, because of his friend.

The Korean’s silence made the Hongkonger reflect upon his own journey. What made him leave his family to live in Korea and what made him stay. Jackson remembered when he was approached by a JYP Entertainment scouting agent while he was playing basketball in his home country. His parents were totally against the idea of letting their son go to another country to become an idol. They declined the offer. His father was a fencing champion and wanted his son to follow his footsteps. The only reason he allowed Jackson to go to Korea was because Jackson's coach, who also happened to be a family friend, moved to Korea. Jackson’s coach was actually Korean, so even before they left Hong Kong, learning the language was a necessity for the teenager. He took classes, he forced himself to learn the language. Only after Jackson’s coach promised his parents to look after him and a lot of insistence from Jackson’s part, his parents appointed his coach as his legal guardian in Korea. Jackson promised his father that he would keep training with his sabre and that someday he would open a fencing academy in Seoul. Of course, Jackson had his own plans. His biggest dream was the same as Bambam's, to become an international idol, and since some Korean scout thought he had potential, he knew that Korea would open many doors for him. In order to stay in Seoul, he had to promise his dad that he wouldn’t interrupt high school, and that whenever there was a competition in Hong Kong, he would take a leave from his Korean school to win medals in his own country. And Jackson did what he was told. He would once in a while get medals for his dad in Hong Kong and then return to Korea to resume his studies. Nevertheless, that took most of his time and energy, so he kept skipping auditions and delaying his idol career.

Fencing in his country was like a mission for him, not an entertaining career option. And whenever he returned to Seoul, he knew someone would be there waiting for him. Park Gae. He would never dream that a Korean boy he quickly befriended in his new school was J. Y. Park’s grandson. The boy was elated when Jackson told him that he wanted to be a rapper and that a JYPE scout had once spotted him. When Jinyoung took him to the mansion for the first time and introduced him to his family, Jackson almost passed out when he laid eyes on the great J.Y. Park. To meet him in person, in that manner, being introduced as his grandson’s friend, was something he would never foresee in his life. Jinyoung was the one who once listened to Jackson’s rapping and told him to take part in an audition at JYPE. If he hadn't ran away from dozens of auditions at the agency of Jinyoung's grandfather, he would have become a trainee by now. He seemed to be afraid to get what he always wanted, and Jinyoung knew that. Jackson also feared his father’s reaction once he was offered a contract. Despite his indecision, Jinyoung promised the Hongkonger that one day they would be debuting on the same stage and winning awards throughout the years. The fantastic JJP duo and the flawless rapper Jackson Wang. Jinyoung's dreamy plans soothed his disquieted heart. Although the Korean wasn’t the optimistic type, he would always cheer him on. In the beginning, sticking around the Korean meant never giving up his idol's aspirations, yet, after some time, Jinyoung became part of his dream too. He could only dream if they could dream together. Jaebeom, BamBam, Yugyeom and Youngjae had similar goals too. After a couple of years in Kirin High, Got6 was already a collective dream he couldn't let go of. Whenever there were festivals at the school, they would perform together and receive great feedback from his schoolmates and faculty. His peers commented that they were meant to be stars. Jackson swore to himself they would properly shine someday. He just needed courage to do something about it.

Jackson’s love life was always busy in Seoul. He had slept with guys and girls before, but as soon as he arrived in Kirin High, his chances doubled. Everyone kept complimenting his ‘foreign looks’, his fencing skills, his well-toned muscles, and his ability to talk more than three languages. The attention was constant, and he gladly took advantage of that. Even Jinyoung’s twin was curious about him. They had one night together and that was it. No strings attached. However, Jinyoung was a different story. Jackson’s connection with him was too strong to be destroyed by casual sex. They only grew closer after sleeping together. They were like an old married couple, yet, quite modern, with unorthodox views about relationships. They both liked to experiment, and Jinyoung did not intend to clip Jackson’s wings. An open relationship and a set of rules enhanced their trust on each other. Jaebeom wasn’t comfortable with the kind of relationship his brother had with Jackson, because he thought Jinyoung deserved better. However, only the pair knew how well they completed each other. Even when the Lims’ divorce happened, or when Jinyoung joined the soccer team, and hung out with the wrong crowd, Jackson never left his side. JB avoided his brother at that turbulent time, yet, Jackson was as constant as the oxygen Jinyoung breathed every single day.

Then the virgin Mark Tuan happened in their lives. The couple’s dynamics changed, so did their hearts. The very violation of the no-kissing rule was a sign. That night at _Why Not?_ shook both of them. A meaningful threesome opened a fissure in their solid, unbreakable unity. A throuple relationship condemned the pair to a never-ending journey of instability and a possible love war. Now a question lingered in the air. A question Jinyoung knew that needed an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is 2Jae really over? Is it the end of JinSon?O_O


	25. No One Else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Double mess...

It was an average day at Kirin High School. The three teenagers who were suspended for a week were back. Most students were satisfied with their return, especially Jackson’s, after all, he was the most popular foreigner in their midst. A few classmates even congratulated Jackson for his _Instagram_ prank. They hurried to tell him that everybody in school believed that the MarkSon couple photos and the comments he posted were are real, and even when he said it was a prank, some girls still shipped them together. The Hongkonger simply laughed out loud at their comments. It was an amusing irony.

Got7 was complete, even thought they had some internal conflicts going on, for obvious reasons. The Hongkonger, his two boyfriends and his four friends sat at a table in the cafeteria, trying to ignore the looks they were receiving from a table across from theirs. The incomplete soccer team was there, including their four bruised members who had a nasty encounter with Mark’s fists a couple of days ago. Jaebeom wanted to confront them and find out who had knocked out his twin and tied him to a chair, but Mark and Jinyoung pleaded with him to let it go. They tried to convince him that the fights in school should stop if they wanted to avoid more suspensions. Jackson even suggested that JB should wait for the enemy’s next move. He reminded him that they should be cautious and smart. Starting a fight with the whole soccer team wasn’t a wise decision after the arrest of the players Zico and Mino. They had many admirers at Kirin High, and a wrong move could turn half of the school against them. He didn’t forget to point out that being outnumbered was another issue. After all, they were only 7 and the team still had nine members. Jackson secretly knew that Mark could knock them all down if he wanted to, but he had to persuade Jaebeom to forget about his stupid revenge. The MarkJinSon throuple knew that they had to keep JB away from those players in order to keep the peace.

Jaebeom didn’t know about the porn video recorded in the school office, but the trio was sure that there was no reason to fear another attack from them. Although everyone advised the older Lim not to retaliate, every time JB looked at his twin’s bruised cheek, his blood boiled. The bruise was already fading, but it was still there. Jaebeom didn’t know which member of the team was involved in Jinyoung’s kidnapping, but he promised himself that sooner or later, he would find out who was responsible for it. Jackson knew JB wouldn’t relent any sooner, so he lied through his teeth and assured the older Lim that he would take care of this ‘investigation part’, since he knew a couple of those players intimately. He promised JB to hunt the culprits, and as soon as he found them, he would break their legs in a way that it would keep them from ever playing soccer again. JB liked the sound of that. He knew Jackson cared for Jinyoung, so he didn’t suspect that the Hongkonger was making all that up.

“I heard Namjoon is their new captain. To be honest, I like him better than that Zico guy.” Bambam commented as he took a bite of his sandwich.

“Have you all noticed how those four jocks look like crap? Rumor has it that Yoongi was going to replace Mino as a goalkeeper. But I don’t think he’ll be able to play this season with a cast on his arm.” Yugyeom said casually, as he sipped on his juice.

“Oh, sooner or later he might have a cast on both his legs too, right, Jack?” Jaebeom gave the Hongkonger a pat on the back and the latter almost choked on his food. He noticed that JB’s chin had come out, so he was obviously getting angry. That kind of talk was only making things worse. Jackson coughed and cleared his throat. He wondered if Jaebeom really considered him an ally. Somehow, the foreigner felt that rainy night on the school field brought him and JB closer. It wasn’t like Got6’s old days, but he could sense that the older Lim wasn’t so caustic towards him after that adventure. Truth to be told, Jackson didn’t think that they would be sharing a table so soon after he announced his relationship with Mark. Years ago, when he informed JB that Jinyoung and him were going out, JB cursed and avoided him for months. Now that JB seemed to be warming up to him again, Jackson assumed that maybe, Jaebeom wasn’t as infatuated with Mark as Jinyoung claimed that he was.

“Thank you guys for updating us on the latest events in Kirin High. Can we talk about something else now? Besides soccer gossips, is there anything relevant we should know, Bam?” Jackson turned to the Thai boy, hoping that whatever he said would distract Jaebeom’s gaze from the table across them.

“There’s a filming crew in the school these days. It seems Kirin High will be the set of a variety program called _Off to School_ or _I'm Going to School,_ or something like that. It’s a damn strange concept. _A_ celebrity will be attending our school as students for 3 days. Can’t wait to see who will be staying in our school.” The younger answered excitedly. He loved everything about the idol world.

“I wonder why a celebrity would go back to school. So lame!” Yugyeom said casually. He couldn’t help but notice Mark, Jinyoung and Youngjae’s quietness. He was used to the American’s muteness, but the other two introverted demeanor was a novelty.

“Why would Mr. Lim open the doors of his school for a TV program involving idols? I mean, I thought he had aversion to that kind of stuff. Do you have any idea why your dad would do that, JB?” Jackson turned to the older Lim, trying to keep the conversation going. He struggled to ignore the silence of the trio beside him. He was aware of how his American boyfriend mostly observed conversations instead of joining them. The bigger the crowd, the less he interacted, but there was something else going on, he could feel it. As for Jinyoung, he knew exactly what his problem was. He wasn’t able to answer his friend’s question that night at the mansion. He simply told Jackson that as soon as he figured out his own feelings he would be the first to know. Afterwards, Jinyoung just crawled under the bedsheets and wished him good night. Jackson knew then he was lying to him. At that point of their relationship, they knew each other very well, and Jinyoung was aware that Jackson perceived his lie. The fact that he refused to answer Jackson, had already given him away. Then, there was the heartbroken Youngjae, sitting there, so close and so far from his ex-boyfriend. Sadly concealing another secret he hated to know about.

“No, I don’t. And I don’t care either.” Jaebeom replied shortly. Jackson inhaled, and the rest of the table frowned at the older Lim’s undying irritation.

“Well, the arrest of Zico and Mino hit the news. That’s not good publicity for the school. I guess this is a great opportunity for the principal of Kirin High to show that this school is still a good environment for every teenager out there, despite the sorry incident with its former students.” Yugyeom said, as he side-eyed Bambam. If someone was going to make them talk, that person was his best friend. Bambam sighed in frustration and started.

“Okay, guys, what the hell is going on here?! We know why JB hyung is being grumpy. He still wants to murder the soccer team, and he’s still waiting for his grandfather’s return, so he can kick his ass. But what are your excuses? There’s definitely something up with the three of you. Let’s talk about it, now! ” the Thai boy demanded impatiently.

“JB broke up with me. Haven’t you heard? It’s official now. Am I not allowed to grieve the end of our relationship?” Youngjae complained sourly. The maknaes gasped at the new information. Mark, Jinyoung, and Jackson knew that their dongsaeng had one more reason to be miserable, but they wouldn’t comment on it.

“I’m sorry, hyung. We didn’t know.” Yugyeom said sympathetically. He thought about saying some comforting words to Youngjae, but Jaebeom’s sarcastic voice detained him.

“Our relationship? What relationship, Jae? How could I break up with you if we weren’t even together to begin with? We are not together for a long time. We had a relationship a year ago, and you ended it.” Jaebeom’s tone was harsh, but he looked away when he noticed Youngjae’s eyes water.

“Can you not wash your dirty linen in public, please? We are still in the school cafeteria.” Jinyoung finally spoke, looking obviously bothered by the scene. Mark flinched at his insensitiveness.

“Oh, he speaks! Are you gonna tell us what crawled up your ass this morning?” Bambam continued his crusade.

“I’m in love.” Jinyoung replied in a serious tone. His response was so blunt that everyone at the table fixed their eyes on him. Even his twin’s angry expression was replaced by one of surprise.

“That’s a joke, right?” a wide-eyed Jaebeom asked as he glanced at Jackson. If there was someone who could confirm that statement, that person was him. The Hongkonger was the only one who knew more about his brother’s love life than him.

“So it’s true. You’re finally being honest with yourself, right?” Jackson’s voice was almost solemn when he turned to his best friend, who just nodded. Mark looked down, unable to control his own emotions. He was completely taken aback by that statement. He wondered how long Jackson knew about it. They couldn’t be talking about him, could they? Jinyoung would never confess something like that so openly. He still remembered what the Korean had said to him a couple of days ago, ‘ _when you decide you are only mine and no one else’s, you’ll tell me how you feel and I’ll say it back to you. And then, only then, it will be only us and our private madness against the world.’_ The American was genuinely confused. What was his stepbrother planning now?

“Okay, that’s momentous.” Yugyeom commented skeptically. It seemed everyone around him was victimized by love. First Jackson, then Youngjae and now Jinyoung.

“Now I get it! You’re pining for someone who doesn’t feel the same?” Bambam pressed, curious to hear all about it.

“It’s more complicated than that. He has a boyfriend, and I don’t stand a chance.” Jinyoung added, without much ceremony. All the time he avoided looking at Mark. Instead, he met Jackson’s penetrating gaze and gave him a sad smile.

“Jin, who’s he?” JB’s voice was softer as he regarded his brother. Jinyoung sighed in frustration and shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter who he is. Like I said, it’s complicated. My hands are tied, and so is my heart and mind. Even though I can’t say he’s mine and only mine, I’m already his and no one else’s. I wish he knew how I feel, I wish he knew I’m already able to formulate the words ‘ _I love you’_. I finally found a way out of the madness of this world, I can only wait for him to join me in our own special kind of madness.” Jinyoung replied hopelessly, as he got up from the table, turned around and walked away from them. The other six teenagers looked completely lost. Mark would’ve passed out already if he hadn’t taken too much coffee. He wondered if his ears were playing tricks on him. He hoped no one noticed his quivering lips or listened to the hammering of his agitated heart.

“What the heck just happened? Was he talking in riddles or something?” a wide-eyed Yugyeom was too shocked to move.

“Shouldn’t you go after him?! I mean, he’s probably talking about you!” an upset Jaebeom accused the Hongkonger.

“It’s not me. I know who he is talking about.” Jackson dared to say, and he would’ve spilled the whole truth right there if a trembling hand hadn’t found his under the table.

“Tel us then!” Bambam exclaimed, tired of that suspense. The Hongkonger removed his boyfriend’s hand from his and folded his arms across his chest. He knew Mark was afraid of his next words. Well, he wasn’t.

“I’ll go after him.” Mark said quickly, trying to find a way to avoid confrontation. However, as he moved to leave his seat, Jaebeom grabbed his arm and made him remain where he was. Jackson frowned at his gesture. The older Lim held his gaze.

“You’re still sleeping with my brother. Tell Mark the truth. He deserves to know that his boyfriend is cheating on him.” JB said as he glared at the Hongkonger. He tried to keep his voice as low as possible. Jackson rolled his eyes at him. The maknaes who knew exactly what was going on, kept their mouths shut and watched the drama unfold. Youngjae’s heart was about to explode.

“Jaebeom, you’re wrong.” Mark whispered loud enough for him to hear.

“I smelled Jinyoung’s cologne on you. You smelled like my fucking brother because Jackson was probably making out with Jin before he touched you.” The older Lim insisted, trying to make his point.

“And when was that exactly?!” Jackson asked in a cynical tone.

“That night at the mansion.” Jaebeom stated and Jackson chuckled at his obliviousness.

“That wasn’t the first time, you know.” Jackson said carelessly. Mark started sweating, JB’s reaction worried him.

“Why the hell are you smiling for? Isn’t Mark your boyfriend? How can you admit that to his face?!” his voice raised a little. He had no idea that Jackson was referring to the MarkJin couple on his comment.

“You should discuss this somewhere else, guys.” Yugyeom suggested, noticing that their table was drawing the attention of other students. However, the Hongkonger continued.

“Tell me JB, did you pretend to tolerate me these days, just because you thought you could break us up? Maybe you wanted to keep an eye on me, to make sure I was indeed fucking your brother and stepbrother at the same time!” Jackson retorted, also raising his husky voice a bit. The American knew he had to do something about it, otherwise another fight would take place there.

“Come with me.” Mark commanded, as he took hold of JB’s wrist, made him get up from his seat, and led him to the schoolyard. Neither Jackson nor the others stopped him.

“I hope he finally comes clean. This situation is unbearable. I honestly can’t stand this anymore.” Youngjae commented nervously as he fidgeted in his seat.

“Seriously, if he doesn’t, I will. I’m tired of this shit. I can tell Jinyoung is also at his limit. ” Jackson said impatiently.

“That was a hell of a confession, though. I didn’t understand a word Jinyoung said. If you haven’t mentioned that you knew whom he was talking about, I wouldn’t have guessed it was Mark. I know you guys have this awesome throuple thing going on, but I thought you the three of you were just having fun. Love is another level of dangerous for this kind of arrangement.” Bambam still looked impressed by the scene he had just witnessed.

“Jaebeom hyung is already mad enough these days. He won’t take the news well.” Yugyeom looked a bit unsure of what to say. “Is Jinyoung really in love with Mark?” he asked the foreigner, who simple nodded at him.

“Yes, he is. Unfortunately.” Jackson stated in a distressed voice.

“The real question is, how come three guys in Got7 are into the same guy? Mark hyung looks good, no doubt. But he’s not that charismatic, you know?” Bambam raised an eyebrow at the Hongkonger.

“Love is blind, my dear friend. But you know what? I’m actually relieved to hear that you think like this. That means less competition and more collaboration.” Jackson said thoughtfully.

“What do you mean with collaboration?” a puzzled Youngjae asked.

“Which side are you guys on? I mean, if a love war takes place between me, Jinyoung and Jaebeom, who will you guys support? Who do you think that deserves Mark’s heart?” The foreigner inquired his dongsaengs with a glimpse of hope in his eyes.

“I’m team Wang all the way. Dating stepbrothers is weird. I’m rooting for you, hyung.” Yugyeom answered quickly.

“Do you even have to ask? I’m a foreigner, just like you and Mark. We are AmeriThaiKong. The Lim brothers will have to forgive me, but, the nonnatives gotta have each other’s back, right? Plus, you’re like a real big brother to me. So, yeah, my vote is yours.” Bambam assured him, as he placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Well, my opinion might sound biased. But of course I’d rather see Mark with Jinyoung or you, hyung. However, it’s up to him to decide who he wants to be with.” Youngjae muttered, with a faraway look on his face. He couldn’t help but wonder what was going on between Jaebeom and the American in the schoolyard.

“Come on, man. Don’t sit on the fence right now. Forget about Jaebeom then. Pick one of the two, Jinyoung or me?” Jackson eyed him expectantly.

“I haven’t been in the city long enough. You guys have been hiding this throuple thing for awhile, I cannot tell who would match him better.” Youngjae confessed, feeling a bit pressured.

“For fuck’s sake, Jae-ah. Will you stop hesitating for once in your life?” Bambam rolled his eyes at him and Yugyeom chuckled.

“Jinyoung hyung.” The oldest Korean at the table said at once. His statement earned gasps from the others. Jackson looked extremely betrayed.

“What? Why?” the maknae eyed him in disbelief.

“Lim Jinyoung is less of an asshole when he’s around him.” Youngjae said simply, and none of the others would disagree with his point of view. Only Youngjae was able to see the difference between the person Jinyoung was before Mark and the person he became after Mark’s arrival.

“Well, he left the soccer team, his mother died, he found out his grandpa is a jerk, he’s back to his father’s house, he’s in good terms with his stepmother, and he made up with his twin. Lots of stuff influenced his current behavior. Plus, he’s a fucking brilliant actor. He’s still able to fool me after all these years. He might be fooling all of us right now. You do know that, right?” Jackson argued, but his dongsaeng only shrugged.

Meanwhile, at the schoolyard, Mark was having a hard time explaining himself.

“I thought it had a nice fragrance and then I bought the same cologne for me. The cologne you smelled on me was mine, not Jinyoung’s! What’s so hard to understand?” Mark lied, avoiding the truth as much as he could. Yet, Jaebeom wouldn’t accept any of his excuses.

“Dear God! Stop lying to me and to yourself! Wang just admitted it! He basically said that it happened more than once. He’s a player, a liar, a cheater, an unfaithful bastard and you shouldn’t put up with his shit!” Jaebeom insisted, beyond himself with anger. He grabbed Mark by the shoulders and shook him a bit. “You deserve better than that, okay? I know you have abandonment issues. You fear being alone more than anything in this world, you desperately seek love, any kind of love, because you think your own family rejected you, and never appreciated the real you. Mark, you are willing to remain in a relationship that you know deep down is not ideal just because he claims to love you! But you don’t need that fake love, Mark! I am here, aren’t I? Do I have to remind you that I told you not long ago, that I’d be immortal for you, and that I’d always be where you want me to be? That hasn’t changed!” Jaebeom gave his speech with so much passion in his eyes that Mark was completely lost in them. When the Korean stopped talking, Mark pulled him to a corner, making sure that no one could see them from that angle, and pushed Jaebeom against a wall. Without much time for second thoughts, the American closed the distance between them and kissed his stepbrother with a fervor he knew he wouldn’t feel again. Jaebeom welcomed his lips with similar eagerness as he embraced Mark. Their tongues explored each other’s mouth intensely, hungrily, making them moan with pleasure. The pent up desire they felt for each other made that bruising kiss feel unique and desperate. Mark held both sides of Jaebeom’s face and broke their kiss, trying to catch his breath. The Korean stared into his eyes with so much fondness and want, that Mark wondered if he had ever witness them so vulnerable. He lamented that sight. He had to kill that moment. He was about to murder everything they never had. His heart ached with regret and shame.

“Listen to me very well, Jaebeom-ah. Are you listening?” The American asked painfully. JB was completely enthralled by the movements of his mouth.

“Yeah, Bunny.” He whispered against the older’s lips. The latter took a deep breath and gave him another brief peck. Then he fixed his eyes on his.

“Jackson, Jinyoung and I share everything normal couples share. We are together, and we are in love.” As soon as the sentence escaped Mark’s lips, the Korean’s eyes turned cold. The American felt Jaebeom’s body stiff against his and his arms abandon his waist. He swallowed hard before taking a step back.

“What did you say?” Jaebeom asked in a low voice and squinted his eyes.

“Jackson and I-”

“No, about my brother. What did you say about Jin?!” JB put a hand on his mouth and his unforgiving stare already made Mark feel too small.

“We are together.” Marks repeated one more time, as a lump formed in his throat. He tried to fight back his tears.

“WHO?!” Jaebeom yelled at him.

“Jinyoung and I! We are secretly sleeping together, we are boyfriends! We even have threesomes together. I’m the guy he’s in love with, and I fell for him too.” Mark shouted back. He finally admitted his feeling for Jinyoung out loud. He also knew Jinyoung wasn’t acting when he made his confession in front of Got7 in the cafeteria. For the first time since he arrived in Korea, he was easily able to see through him. He had no doubt about the legitimacy of younger’s confession. The American never thought Jinyoung would be the one to say ‘I love you’ first. Nevertheless, Mark was ready to say it back to him.

“No, no, no ,no, no! This cannot be! I refuse to believe that my own brother did this to me.” An upset Jaebeom pressed both his hands against his ears and paced back and forth in front of the American.

“He didn’t do anything to you. I did! You cannot blame this on either of them. Jack and Jin did their best to work things out. I brought chaos to their relationship, I broke them up! I’m sorry, I’m not the guy you think I am. I’m not the innocent virgin bunny who begged for your attention anymore. I am nobody’s victim Jaebeom. I victimize people. My dad and my brother are proofs of that. I didn’t mean to come between you and your twin. But that’s what I do, wherever I go I bring disharmony in my baggage. Ask Dorine! Don’t even think for a moment that I am not the main cause of your disappointment right now. You can’t forgive Youngjae for honoring your mother’s wishes or for protecting your feelings. You can’t forgive your own father for not starting a war with your grandfather. A war that could disgrace the family name. Well, I don’t expect you to forgive me either, stepbrother. Actually, I’m not even looking forward to a second chance.” Mark stated mercilessly, and ran away from him without looking back. He was sure he had lost Jaebeom completely. He was convinced that the Korean wouldn’t ever look him in the eye again. He believed that JB would never even accept him as a friend, or family. He was dead to him.

Therefore, he left school and went home to bury his face in any pillow that could muffle his deafening screams and dry his rising tide of tears. He didn’t want JB to see him cry, he didn’t want to see the judgment is his eyes. He just wanted to lie down and die. He just wanted to disappear from there and turn away from life. For the first time, in a long time, he wished he was back in America, where the dead were on his side. Whenever things got tough, and Eric and alcohol weren’t strong enough to make the pain subside, he knew a special place to hide. He would visit Joey’s grave. Where the weight of his grief and the severity of his guilt were momentarily purified. Only that deathly quietness would slowly decompose the unrestless thunder inside his stormy mind. Whenever he laid his body on that soft green grass that surrounded Joey’s headstone, he would null his unforgivable crime. He could pretend he was inside his own coffin, he could pretend he was the one who wasn’t alive.

However, as soon as he got home Mark didn’t find the graveyard quietness he expected. The TV was on and Dorine was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at a cup of tea that she had in her hands. She should be at Kirin High at that hour. Her presence there just indicated that something was definitely wrong. By the expression plastered on her face, he could tell that she had been crying. He wanted to walk past that scene, ignore his mother’s state and isolate himself. However, he couldn’t. Losing JB an hour ago made him feel sympathetic towards her, so he approached the woman, and sat beside her. She acknowledged his presence with a heavy sigh.

“I’ve packed your bags already. We’re leaving Yi-en.” She announced as she met his perplexed eyes. He saw two pairs of suitcases under the table and realized she had already made her decision.

“We are going back to L.A.? Is the marriage over? What happened?” Mark was completely dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe that Jaebeom had already told Dorine about Jinyoung and him.

“We won’t go back to America. You won’t get what you want, kid. But the marriage will be certainly over because I cannot force Taek-geun and his sons to share this house with my fucked up son.” Dorine said harshly a she wiped another tear that fell from his eyes. She rarely cursed like that, but when she did, Mark knew he had gone too far.

“Where are we going then?” he asked in a low voice. She took a deep breath and stood up.

“We’re going to check in a hotel for now. I’ll call a cab.” She said as she pulled her cellphone out of her purse.

“I didn’t mean for it to happen, you know? It wasn’t intentional. We didn’t plan to disturb the harmony of this family again. But I do love him and he loves me back.” Mark whispered loud enough for her to hear. Dorine stopped her motions and frowned at her son.

“What did you say?” she put the phone on the table and eyed him with distrust.

“We won’t stop seeing each other, even if you force us to break up. We’ll run away together if we have to. He’s the best thing that has ever happened to me since Eric dumped me. I’m not giving him up, I’m not losing him too. Not him. I can’t.” Mark stated, as he felt his eyes fill up with tears again. His mother frowned at him.

“Who are you talking about, Mark?” Dorine looked confused and worried at the same time.

“Please, don’t.” Mark was unable to properly answer her. He covered his face with both his hands and burst out crying, unable to hold back his sobs. He was so absorbed in his own pain that he didn’t notice the disconcerted expression on his mother’s face. She sat back on her chair and studied her son’s state, not really sure of what to do.

“Mark, a beat up kid came to me for counsel this morning. He confided in me that he was having suicidal thoughts because an older student forced him to masturbate a classmate in the school office. A video was also recorded. He told me he felt attracted to boys before, but he never acted on it. He said his family believes that homosexuality is a sin. He’s afraid of going to hell, that’s why he hasn’t slashed his wrists yet.”

“What?!” Mark suddenly removed his hands from his face and started wiping his tears. He wondered why he kept misunderstanding people all the time.

“Tuan Yi-en, I told the kid that no harm would come to him if he gave me the name of the student who made the video.” She stated coldly, as she stared back at him. “Why did you hurt that kid? I thought you had made a promise to Joey.”

“Was it Min Yoongi who asked for your counseling?” the teenager was flabbergasted.

“No, why would…Wait, this kid wasn’t the only one involved?!” she put a hand on her head and suddenly became enraged. “What the hell is wrong with you?! For goodness’ sake Mark! Are you aware that this is a fucking crime?”

“It wouldn’t be the first I committed.” He said quickly as he looked away. She shook her head in disbelief.

“Why would you do something like this? Why do you have to mess everything up, all the damn time?! Why?!” she yelled, as she hit her fist on the table.

“He also has photos of me, okay?! I only did that to protect myself.” he whispered, too embarrassed to face his mother.

“What?!” she asked in annoyance.

“He has photos of me, drugged and naked. Lying on a fucking bed, all wet and totally passed out.” Mark said at once, too ashamed to look her in the eye. Her angry expression suddenly turned into one of concern and alarm. She swallowed hard and put a sympathetic hand on her son’s knee.

“Mark, why didn’t you tell me this before? What did they do to you? Oh my God, how did-”

“I’m fine, nothing happened. It was a prank. They didn’t hurt me. I survived. Now we are even-steven. They won’t expose my nudes because I have the video.” The uncomfortable teenager informed her quickly, hoping she would stop pestering him about it. He still longed to find some quietness in his room. Dorine paced around the kitchen, pondering the situation.

“Mark, I wish you would come to me before doing something like this. You can count on me, you know? I am your mother and I’m supposed to look after you. When did this happen? What kind of drugs are we talking about here? Who took pictures of you? Was it Min Yoongi or Kim Taehyung?” She asked without thinking. Mark just let her think that the members of the soccer team were the ones responsible for taking his nudes. It was better that way. He would never mention Jinyoung or Jackson’s name in that occasion.

“So, the Taehyung kid is the snitch.” He smiled darkly. She cursed under her breath, when she realized she had told him the name of the student who came looking for her that morning. She suddenly looked desperate.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Mark. We can go to the cops, I’ll access the situation, there must be something that I can do to-”

“He’s not suicidal, Dorine. He’s playing games. That’s just a way they found to intimidate me. He’s probably expecting you to do something about it. But you don’t need to. Stay away, okay? I can deal with those players by myself.” Mark assured her, as he stood up from his chair and turned away.

“Mark, we are not done.” She said firmly. The teenager folded his arms across his chest and faced her again.

“What, you still wanna leave Taek-geun and our new family? I don’t see why-”

“Which one of them?” she asked in a serious tone.

“What do you mean?” he asked impatiently.

“Please tell me it’s not Jinyoung.” Dorine stared hard into his eyes.

“I- I don’t understand.” Mark’s fear was evident. He bit his lower lip, he ran a hand through his hair and struggled to look unaffected by her question.

“I am asking you, son, which one of your stepbrothers is the best thing that has ever happened to you since your relationship with Eric ended.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Markbeom really over?>_<


	26. Fade Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Words have consequences.”  
> ― Albert Marrin

While Dorine Lim Tuan waited for her son's answer, the teenager tried hard to come up with an excuse to avoid that question. However, he didn't know how to escape from the truth that at very moment. His mother was about to open her mouth again, probably to repeat the same sentence of seconds ago, but luckily, they were both distracted by an insistent noise. Only the ringing of Dorine's phone kept her from formulating the question one more time. Coincidentally, Mark's mobile also started to vibrate in his pocket. He ignored it. He was too absorbed in Dorine's alarmed expression as she answered her phone. A mix of shock, concern and disappointment adorned her features. After a couple of seconds, she quickly turned nervous as she listened to whoever was on the other line. Mark frowned when his mother eyed him with suspicion. He asked her what was wrong, but she only shook her head at him and pressed the phone tightly against her ear. Mark's phone didn't stop ringing. The teenager then decided to check who was calling him. When he took a glance at the screen of his mobile, and saw Jackson's name on it, he simply rejected the call and leaned against the kitchen counter, keeping an eye on his distressed mother. He was definitely curious to know what was going on. He wondered if the call was about him. He wondered if the guys of the soccer team had stricken again. He wondered if his nudes had leaked, or if the video recorded in the school office had ended up in the wrong hands. He thought for a second that maybe, he wouldn't have to unpack that suitcase under the table. Even if he tried to keep from Dorine his involvement with the twins, deep down, he knew that sooner or later she'd learn about it and get him out of the Lims' respectful residence. She would certainly apologize to Taek-geun for bringing her wretched offspring to his home. Dorine wouldn’t think twice before assuming that her son was at fault for the development of his incestuous-like relationship with the Lim boys. She had little trust in him. She had always been ashamed of him, after all, he wasn't Joey. She had plenty of reasons to hate him. Mark had made many mistakes in his short life, and he was also able to fix, or minimize some of them, but Joey and Raymond's death was a tragedy he couldn't undo. He had taken her husband and son from her, and nothing could change that. They were gone forever, so, her resentment should remain everlasting. Mark believed that that unfixable reality provided Dorine enough fuel to go off on him whenever she liked. And he didn't blame his mother for it. He should be dead, not his father and brother. She had told him that once, and he silently agreed with her. When she finally said something through the phone, he became alarmed.

"Don't worry. Mark is with me. We're home now. I'll be there. It's gonna be alright, he'll be okay. We'll see to that." A consternated Dorine threw her phone on the table after the call was terminated.

"Who was that? What's wrong!?" He asked in an anxious voice.

"It was your stepfather. We gotta go to the hospital. Jaebeom tried to jump from Kirin High's roof. Jackson stopped him in time. But he's not himself. Come on, we're meeting everyone at the hospital." She said in a hurry, as she grabbed her purse from the table, picked up her car keys and glanced at her petrified son.

"Is JB d-dead?" Mark stuttered as he trembled from head to toe. His mind was unable to process everything he had just heard. He couldn't move, he couldn't control his own breathing. His mother sighed impatiently.

"No, Mark! Nobody said that. Thank God, that kid is alive. His father, his brother and even J.Y. Park is there with him now. He's not alone, but we have to be there for him too. I know you hate hospitals, but we gotta go. I really hope that you don't have anything to do with this, I truly do. Because I'm not sure what I'm gonna do to you if I find out you caused this mess too. Now move!" She almost shouted, as she walked in the direction of the door. Mark didn't follow her. He simply fell on his knees and started crying on the floor. His mother grimaced, and approached the pitiful boy who didn't seem to listen to whatever she was saying. He stopped paying attention to her the moment she mentioned the words 'JB, roof, jump'.

"It's my fault, it's my fault, it's my fault, it's my fault." The teenager repeated nonstop as he started to hyperventilate. Dorine hastily sat on the floor and tried to make him look at her. Mark had done that before. It happened the day Raymond and Joey were buried, and it happened again when she told him she would accept a job in South Korea. In both occasions, the teenager had a complete emotional meltdown. He'd abruptly withdraw from reality, he wouldn't listen to anyone nor see anything around him. He'd scream and snap at everyone who tried to touch him. It was like he was suddenly immersed in a nightmare that only he was able to experience. Even though Dorine spent years studying conditions like that, when it came to her son, she simply thought he was throwing a tantrum. 

"Come on, Yi-en, don't do this to me right now. This is not about you. Get up, we're going to that hospital whether you want it or not." Dorine stated as she struggled to make the boy move from the floor. He roughly avoided her hands, as he fought to catch his breath.

"I c-can't b-breathe." He crawled away from her and hid under the kitchen table. His mother cursed under her breath and threw her purse at his direction.

"Get the hell away from there, Mark! You're not a child anymore, stop acting like one. Don't make me go down there and get you." She shouted now, clearly out of control. When he didn't obey her, she threw her car keys under the table, and then, every kitchen tool she could find around her, like plates and silverware. She started shouting uncontrollably in Mandarin, while he dodged the knives and forks flying at him. Mark used the suitcases under the table as a shield once he felt his vision blur. Pieces of glasses barely missed him, but he didn't move, he didn't have enough strength to do so. A lightheaded Mark gripped the leg of the table as a last attempt to keep his body from hitting the ground. He was about to faint when he heard the front door open and someone grab his mother by the arm.

"Stop it! Are you out of your mind?!" The teenager heard another familiar voice say in Mandarin, and he suddenly felt safe enough to give in to his dizziness and black out.

Minutes later, he woke up in his bed, with Jackson lying beside him.

"I had the strangest dream." he whispered, drawing the attention of the Hongkonger who was too absorbed texting on his phone to realize that his boyfriend was already awake.

"Hey, there. You scared the shit out of me downstairs. Don't faint on me like that again." a relieved Jackson said as he leaned on Mark, caressed his chin and kissed his cheek.

"How did you get here?" Mark eyed him confused for a second. Then realization hit him. His eyes widened in fear. "Jesus Christ, it wasn't a dream! Jaebeom jumped-" Mark sat up in the bed and started panicking, but Jackson gently put a hand on his chest, urging him to calm down.

"JB is fine. He did not jump. When you feel better, I'll take you to see him. Your mom left an half an hour ago. I told her I would look after you." The Hongkonger said softly, trying to reassure the older that everything was under control. Nevertheless, his boyfriend was already crying and getting up from the bed.

"We need to go to the hospital. Wait, why is he in a hospital if he didn't jump?" Mark asked in despair as he roughly wiped the tears that freely stained his face. Jackson sighed, got up from the bed and walked in his direction.

"He was acting weird. He's in observation. I'm not sure if he's allowed visitors at this hour." Jackson said, as he reached for his boyfriend's arm. Mark allowed his touch.

"How did this happen? Was it what I said to him? Why would he do something so awful and-"

"Hey, nothing you could've said to him would make the guy suicidal. We know he's going through a lot. I guess he never had a chance to properly mourn his mother's passing. The guy is a rock! He looked after Jinyoung's pain and simply ignored he was Jiyeong's son too. The so-called break up with Youngjae must've affected him to a great extent. He did not show, but that kid meant the world to him. He's probably having a hard time forgetting that. JB doesn't know what to do about his despicable grandfather, and he has mixed feelings about his own dad... Believe me, you didn't cause this, Mark." Jackson said as he took both his hands in his and faced his boyfriend with sympathy. Mark bit his upper lip and nodded to him.

"But now he must feel betrayed by Jin too. His brother did all he could to keep us apart. Jinyoung told Jaebeom that he shouldn't risk getting involved with me. That it wasn't worth it. And JB must think I'm some kind of whore now, because I kept leading him on, even after our threesome, I shouldn't-

"You are not responsible for his feelings. You did not make him climb the stairs to that roof. You are not to blame. You need to understand that." Jackson said as he came closer to him and pressed their foreheads together.

"My mom already blames me. I caused my own father and brother's death. If something happens to Jaebeom, it's on me. She probably thinks I'm fucking with JB's head. Cause I'm just that evil! I came to this house and I brought disgrace with me! She already suspects I'm sleeping with one of my stepbrothers. Soon she'll be calling me a murderer again...God, she will kill me." Mark said dejected as he closed his eyes.

"With all due respect, sweetheart, your mom is a cunt." Jackson blurted out. His boyfriend opened his eyes, disconnected their foreheads and frowned at him.

"Don't say that. She has her reasons."

"What I saw downstairs was fucking child abuse. She could've hurt you pretty bad, honey. She shouldn't be counseling adolescents. She's not okay, she's a trainwreck." He took a deep breath, and tried to choose better his words. Mark's offended look warned him to be careful with his judgment. "What I'm trying to say here is that you shouldn't let her walk all over you. Don't let her get to you. You're not a criminal. Not for what happened in America nor for what's currently going on here. Consider yourself innocent of all charges." The Hongkonger said kindly as he approached him again and engulfed him in a hug. Mark sighed in relief as he felt his warmth and affection.

"Thank you." Mark whispered in his ear and hugged him back.

"Are you ready to go now?" Jackson asked as he massaged his boyfriend's back.

"Will you promise me not to let go of my hand?" Mark broke their hug and stared into his eyes. The Hongkonger gave him his famous Squirtle smile and nodded to him.

"I promise." He replied tenderly.

They exited the house and got into a cab. Mark's nervousness grew by each second. Jackson was by his side, holding his hand in the backseat, but he couldn't help but remind himself that hospitals were also bridges for the dead. People went there to pause death's course, to preserve life and extend it, but eventually that bridge would be crossed sooner or later. Unlike Raymond, who died instantly in the car accident of a year ago, Joey died in a hospital. His brother spent a whole day in a coma before his heart gave up. 

Mark tried to avoid those kind of bridges as much as he could. He abhorred the idea of waiting for death. He couldn't bear the thought of being in the middle of a path for too long and strive to fight the inevitable. He figured it was useless and nonsensical. If he had to face death, he wouldn't want to crawl or walk back and forth to reach that fateful meeting place. He thought death was easier if it wasn't precariously delayed. It was better to rip off the Band-Aid and just let it happen, let life bleed away swiftly, till there was nothing left to hope for.

"Are we almost there?" Mark asked for the hundredth time, as anxiety threatened to get the best of him.

"Relax, sweetheart. We'll be there in a few." Jackson squeezed his hand and gave him another reassuring smile.

"Jinyoung and his dad must be out of their minds with worry." Mark commented, as he looked out the car window.

"He went berserk on his grandpa a couple of minutes before I left. I seriously thought he would deck the old man. Mr. Lim and a nurse had to held him down in order to stop him from attacking J.Y.P.."

"If Nyoungie wants, I can teach that bastard a lesson later." Mark said darkly.

"There's no need for such a thing." Jackson shook his head in disapproval and at the same time, the car came to a stop. "Look, we are already here."

Mark took a deep breath and got out of the car. He stopped for a moment in front of the building before him while Jackson paid the cab driver.

"Are you ready?" Jackson held his hand again and as soon as his boyfriend nodded to him, he led him inside the hospital. They were in front of an elevator when two people ran to them.

"Hey guys! What took you so long? It's been tense up there after J.Y.P. was kicked out. We weren't allowed in his room. Family only." Yugyeom looked sad and tired.

"When I left earlier, Youngjae was with Mr. Lim, in Jaebeom’s fucking room." Jackson looked at them in confusion.

"Well, I guess Mr. Lim considers him family." A disheartened Bambam commented. He didn't think that was fair. They were all friends, yet, and only Jaebeom's ex was allowed to see him. He wished he could've had a chance to see his hyung and ask him how could he be so selfish to the point of quitting Got7 in such a tragic way. He was immensely disappointed on JB. He always thought that his hyung was the strongest among the group, with the most leaderlike traits. The Thai boy promised himself that he'd demand an explanation from him as soon as he got to see him again. 

"Have you been crying?" Yugyeom examined the American's features more closely and Mark's reddened eyes caught his attention. 

"He's just not a fan of hospitals." Jackson said quickly and pushed the elevator button. "Anyways, Markie, you are family. You will be able to see him, even if I won't be there to hold your hand, it's gonna be okay. You can do this. And remember, you're not responsible for any of it. He's in the room 707. The kids and I will wait here." The Hongkonger stated as he slowly let go of his hand, and pushed his boyfriend into the elevator as soon as its doors opened. Once inside it, Mark turned around quickly, pulled the Hongkonger by his shirt and gave him a peck on the lips. The American at least got a glimpse of his boyfriend's supportive smile before the doors finally closed in front of him. That revigorating sight gave him enough strength to tolerate that haunting walkway of the dead, and face the current situation up front.

"What was that about? Who said he was responsible for it?" Bambam's puzzled look mirrored his Korean friend's.

"No one. Not yet, I guess. But it turns out Dorine Tuan is a real piece of work and she might condemn her son even before listening to the whole story." Jackson added without providing the pair too many details.

"Do you even know the whole story? Did Mark tell you how his little chat with JB went?" Bambam raised an eyebrow at him.

"Not quite." Jackson replied. The Hongkonger was too worried about Mark's state of mind to even question him about JB's reaction after he learned about their throuple relationship. When he entered the Lims’ residence and saw that horror scene before him, all he wanted to do was to keep Mark safe and calm.

"Well, why would Dorine think her son is responsible for it? Because he was the last person to talk to Jaebeom hyung? Because he finally decided to be honest in the worst time possible? Let's be frank here, this stepsibling fling was fated to end badly." Yugyeom shook his head in frustration.

"Are you saying it's his fault then?" Bambam furrowed his brows at him. Jackson made an uncomfortable noise and glared at the maknae.

"Hate to say I told you so, but Mark should've never hooked up with Jinyoung or Jaebeom. When he went to me for advice, I tried to make him see that. I told him that this is a high-stress society full of strict cultural norms that are completely different from the North American ones. There's always a line that should never be crossed here. But I guess he didn't listen. Now someone is in a hospital bed." The maknae tried to make a point, but not everyone was happy with his opinion.

"What the fuck, Yugyeom!?" Jackson looked incensed. The maknae's words made sense, yet, the Hongkonger wouldn't allow anyone to badmouth his boyfriend in front of him, even if it was one of Got7's members.

"It's sad, but true." Bambam chimed in, looking pensive. "I mean, it's a bit far-fetched to think that JB would want to kill himself because Mark told him he was sleeping with his brother. But we know that JB disappeared right after they left the cafeteria and went to the schoolyard together. Next time we laid eyes on him, he was ready to jump from Kirin High's roof.” Bambam shrugged, and gave Jackson an apologizing look. The Hongkonger eyed the two maknaes with annoyance, established a safe distance from them and took a seat at the hospital's lobby.

Meanwhile, Mark had already reached his destination. Mr. Lim seemed relieved to see him. When Dorine arrived at the hospital by herself, her husband was a bit disappointed to see that Mark wasn't with her. He secretly considered Mark as their oldest son, even if he didn't dare to say it out loud. He wasn't mad at the teenager for telling the twins the truth about their stepfather. He just wished he had consulted him first. Taek-geun felt that after their talk inside the garage of the Lim's residence, Mark had shown him a part of himself that could be willing to accept him as a father-like figure, or at least as a friend. Now that Jaebeom seemed to be having a mental breakdown, Mr. Lim thought that Mark could be a good influence on him, the same way he was on Jinyoung.

"Hey, son. I'm glad you are here. Your mom said you weren't feeling well. Are you okay now?" his stepfather asked, after giving the boy an unexpected hug. Mark was surprised with the man’s gesture, but it felt soothing at the moment. The American thought that Mr. Lim really needed a hug, after learning about his eldest son's attempted suicide, but the brief contact didn't allow him to recover from his stiffness and hug the man back.

"It was just a stomachache. How is everyone...Everything?" Mark asked tentatively, as he stared at the closed door with the number 707 on top of it. He wondered if Jinyoung and Youngjae were there with Jaebeom.

"It was a great shock for all of us. I guess I'm still trying to erase that image of my kid on the top of that roof...But we'll look after him, we'll help him as a family." Mr. Lim sounded hopeful, but his expression was downhearted.

"Is he inside? Can I see him?" Mark asked quickly, a little unsettled.

"Youngjae is there with him. The doctor said one at time. As soon as the kid leaves, you'll be next, okay?" Mr. Lim said calmly. His eyes watered slightly and Mark could tell how painful that experience was for his stepfather.

"Did he say anything? Did he tell you why...?" the teenager swallowed.

"He was high. They did drug tests on him and it was confirmed...I didn't even know that my own son does drugs! He wasn’t very eloquent, you know?" Mr. Lim exclaimed, looking extremely disturbed. The American was startled to hear that.

"He doesn't! I mean, I can't believe it...I never suspected-"

"Look, I was about to go find Dorine at the hospital's canteen, we can't stay. Your mother and I have to go back to the school for a while. The vice principal can't handle all the commotion in there. The faculty is quite shaken up, the students were sent home, parents want answers and we can't forget that we have a filming crew in the school. After the fiasco involving the soccer team, Kirin High certainly doesn't need more negative attention.” The man sighed heavily and looked away. “Jaebeom will have to be here in observation for 24 hours. Jinyoung went to pick up a change of clothes for him at the mansion. He's devastated by his twin's condition and he refuses to open up. You know how he is. He will stay in the hospital till I have a chance to take care of things at the school. Can I ask you to keep an eye on both your brothers? " A distressed Mr. Lim asked as he leaned on the door of JB’s room.

"You should stay with your son." His voice was almost a whisper. The teenager didn't mean to sound judgmental, he just said what he felt it was the right thing to do. 

"I know. I wish I could. I sound like a shitty father, right? It breaks my heart, but I must go. Me and your mom will do what we can to come back here as soon as possible." A pitiful Mr. Lim gave the teenager a conflicted look. Mark just stared at him for a long minute, till their silence was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"You should've gone already. He's sedated. There's nothing you or your wife can do for him here." Jinyoung said coldly as his dad turned around to acknowledge his presence there. Mark stared at him with apprehension. He was aware of how close the twins were. He could tell Jinyoung was hurting badly. Pain was written all over his face. Mark could read his emotions, perfectly. He wished he could find a way to minimize his suffering somehow.

"I'll leave you in good hands then." Mr. Lim said despondently, and after giving a last look at the door of room 707, he said his goodbyes to the boys and went to find his wife at the cafeteria. As soon as the principal was out of sight, the American came closer to the younger and tried to take his hands in his. However, an upset Jinyoung just batted his hands away. Mark looked a bit distraught, yet, he respected the fact that his boyfriend didn't want to be touched at that moment. But he knew they loved each other, and no one could convince him of the contrary.

"How are you holding up? Did you see him? Your dad mentioned drugs. How come-"

"Stop asking so many questions, please!" Jinyoung raised his voice. Mark looked disconcerted for a second as lowered his eyes and glued them to the floor. He could imagine what his boyfriend was going through, but he didn’t know how to make things right.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to the Korean, who folded his arms across his chest.

"Feeling guilty much?" Jinyoung’s tone made him lift his head up to meet his eyes. They were just sad, indescribably sad.

"I-I-"

"Well, don't. This is mainly on me, okay? I started all this. I told him to stay away, while I fucked you behind his back. Then I had the stupidest idea of confessing to you in front of him, of everyone. I drove you to tell him the truth and to reject him, I did it, okay?" The anguish in Jinyoung's tone broke Mark's heart. He took one step closer to the younger again, but Jinyoung stepped back.

"Nyoungie, don't say that. It wasn't like that, you know. Can we talk? I really need to-"

"I can't do this right now, Mark. I just can't, okay? It's been a shitty day. I have a lot of things on my mind right now. My brother is fucking suicidal and I have to look after him." Jinyoung ignored Mark's plea and put one shaking hand on the door handle in front of him.

"Let me see him. Can I at least see him?" Mark begged, as he put an arm between Jinyoung and the door.

"Wait here, I'll check if Jae can swap places with you for a while." Jinyoung declared, as he pushed Mark’s arm away, walked into the room and closed it behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JB's fans, hang in there!>_<


	27. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He who plots to hurt others often hurts himself." ~ Aesop

When Jinyoung entered the room, Youngjae had his head resting against JB's stomach. He was sitting on a chair beside the bed, but his whole body clung to a seemingly asleep Jaebeom.

"Mark is out there. Can you go out for a while? He wants to see him." Jinyoung said as he put his backpack on JB's bedside table and sighed when Youngjae refused to let go of his brother.

"Please let me stay." The disconsolate kid muttered as he lifted his head to meet Jinyoung's impatient stare.

"Jae, if a nurse comes here and see that we're all in this room at once, she'll kick us all out." Jinyoung tried to reason with him, and when finally his dongsaeng disentangled himself from Jaebeom, the latter opened his eyes.

"It's Samchon. He can stay. But you and your boyfriend should leave. I don’t wanna see neither of you." Jaebeom stated as he gave his twin an empty look. The two teenagers eyed the boy in the bed with perplexity, when he reached out for Youngjae's hand and entwined their fingers. Jinyoung soon recovered from his bewilderment and found his voice again.

"Beom-ah, I'm so relieved to see you awake, and talking, instead of screaming. We’ll take you home as soon as they discharge you. I'm gonna call the doctors-"

"Don't you see I'm restrained to this fucking bed? Even if you call them, I won't be going anywhere. I know what this is, I’m on some sort of suicide watch. They think I’m a danger to myself and those around me." Jaebeom cut his twin off and exhaled.

"I'm sorry, brother-"

"Don't call me that! You fucking stopped being my brother a couple of hours ago when I found out that you have been backstabbing me this whole time." Jaebeom cut him off again acerbically. The younger flinched.

"I am sure we can talk about this like adults, I know how you must be feeling right now, but I'm ready to make amends. I'm also aware that it's too soon to ask for your forgiveness, but-"

"If you are really ready to make amends, if you really want me to believe that you’re sorry, you won’t see him again. Whatever you have with our stepbrother, break it off." he said quickly. Jinyoung swallowed hard.

"Jaebeom, you don't know what you're asking-"

"If you do it, I'll also promise you that I won't say anything to father or Dorine. I swear I'll never get near the ledge of a roof again. But if you keep seeing him, I do not think I'll be able to handle it... I failed this time because of Jackson got in the way, maybe I'll get lucky in the next. What do you say? Would you rather keep fucking our stepbrother’s ass, or keep your brother alive?" Jaebeom said crudely. Youngjae was speechless, trying to digest the absurdity of Jaebeom’s menacing 'request'.

"Are you for real?!" Jinyoung eyed him with shock and concern, unable to say anything else.

"Does it look like I’m joking? If you wanna be my brother again, if you still want me to stay in your life for many, many years, you'll do that simple sacrifice for me. It’s time you listen to your own advice brother, nip this little romance of yours in the bud. Like you said before, he won’t stay in the country permanently, he doesn’t like it here, he doesn't understand our culture, he certainly won't give two shits about what would happen to our family once people finds out about your relationship. He will fly to The U. S. as soon as he realizes you're not worth the trouble. He’ll eventually leave you.” Jaebeom stated mercilessly, using his brother’s own words against him. Jinyoung was completely taken aback. “As for me, I would never abandon you, in any circumstance. You know that. After all, we’re family. You and I will always be family no matter what. But you gotta make your choice now, me, or him." JB stated coldly. Jinyoung did not expect to hear that from his twin. Jinyoung was too disturbed to even remain in the room after his brother's clear threat.

"I'm getting the doctor now." Jinyoung announced in a distressed tone and ran out of the room. As soon as he did, Youngjae noticed the tiny malicious smile on his ex's lips.

"Did you just tell your brother that you'll kill yourself if he doesn't break up with the guy he's in love with? Who the hell are you, and what have you done to the Lim Jaebeom I know?!" Youngjae demanded irritated as he took his hand away from his grasp.

"This is the Lim Jaebeom surrounded by liars, deceivers and hypocrites his whole life! If you don't like him, you can leave too. The door is right there." Jaebeom said caustically, and he would have pointed to the door if both his wrists weren’t tied down.

"No! I'm not leaving until you tell me why you climbed the stairs to that roof!" the younger insisted.

"I have plenty of reasons to end my life, but I'd never try to kill myself. My father, my grandfather, my own fucking brother, Mark freaking Tuan, and you! Even you, made me feel like my life is a big fat lie." JB protested as he glared at the other.

"You never tried to kill yourself? What were you doing then? The drugs led you to that roof? What was it JB?!" Youngjae demanded impatiently.

"Someone on the soccer team led me to that roof. That’s what happened. After Mark left me at the schoolyard, completely shaken and angry, and out of my fucking mind, I received a text and a picture on my cellphone." JB took a deep breath and continued. "The truth is, before he told me the whole thing about Jinyoung and him, Mark and I kissed. We did it when we thought no one could see us. But we were wrong. Someone took a picture of it, and sent it to me minutes later. The text said that I had to go to the school roof and stand on its ledge for five minutes, otherwise, the photo would be sent to the principal of Kirin High."

"Oh, God! You’re not making this up, are you?” the younger asked, and the other simply shook his head. “What about the drugs?" Youngjae looked horrified as he paced around the room.

"The message also said that I should take a little pill that would be waiting for me up there. It was wrapped on a dirty notebook page next to the top of the stairs. The words 'eat me' were written on it. So I swallowed it and did want I had to do." Jaebeom sounded hopeless. Youngjae clutched his head in his hands.

"Are you insane? You could've died! If Jack hasn’t gone up there-"

"The picture of Mark and I kissing wasn't the only one they sent me. When I reached the top of the stairs, I received more messages. I saw Mark's nudes, Jinyoung and Jackson's texts about a certain throuple arrangement, stuff that I never would've imagined that was going on right under my nose. Those motherfucking players know all of it, and I have no idea of how long they know." JB gritted his teeth, he hated feeling impotent.

"Mark's nudes? How-"

"It's a long story. It happened before you came back to Seoul. Jinyoung did it, he took the photos. Now we are in this mess."

"Jaebeom, we gotta tell the others what's going on. This is serious! What are these people gonna demand from you next, huh? ‘Hang yourself in the middle of the classroom’? This is dangerous! This is not some sort of bullying or a prank anymore! The cops should be-"

"I believe our ‘friends’ have something on them. And that's what's keeping the members of the soccer team from sending all that stuff to my father. I was checking my watch the whole time. Jackson got me out of that ledge before the required five minutes had passed. They could've fucked up my life if they just exposed that photo to the whole school. But they didn't! Because something is holding them back! Making me go to that roof was a bad joke, a demonstration of power, and perhaps, a way of warning me of what has been going behind my back. If I fell from that roof, they might feel that they've avenged Zico and Mino somehow. But they'd still keep those photos as a secret. I'm sure of it." Jaebeom concluded thoughtfully.

"This is fucked. Tell the others, or I will." Youngjae gave the ultimatum as he stared hard at his ex.

"No, you won't." he said nonchalantly. "But you will find out something for me, though. I want to know what our guys have on them. I need to protect myself from those lunatics." Jaebeom said simply.

"You can ask Jackson, Bambam, or Yugyeom, if you’d rather avoid Mark and Jinyoung. I'm sure they will not keep the truth from you. They are our friends. This is Got7." Youngjae’s eyes pleaded with him, in a way that words never could.

"Right! Our lovely group. Those who probably laughed behind my back after they learned about threesomes and stepsiblings kinks! I must have looked like a fool all over again. Everybody knew, but me! Just like my mother's cancer!" Jaebeom protested, obviously unable to trust the people around him.

"You’re being unfair, no one laughed at you, they’re incapable of it. By the way, your grandfather, Jackson, Jinyoung, Dorine, and I were the only ones who knew about your mom's condition. The maknaes were clueless." Youngjae pointed out, trying to reason with him.

"Dorine too?" If Jaebeom wasn't restrained in that bed, he would've broken something inside that room. Youngjae sighed in frustration when the older shifted violently in the bed and his mouth released a chorus of curses and groans.

"Look, I can see you’re not ready to have a civilized talk right now. Just answer me something, once I find out what you want, you'll stop getting between Mark and Jinyoung?" Youngjae kept his gaze firmly upon Jaebeom’s, as he approached his ex’s bed again.

"He fooled me with his goddam acting. My brother fucking betrayed me. He poisoned me. It's time I spit his venom right back at him. Only then, he'll have a taste of his own medicine. He didn't let me have Mark, well, he won't have him either. I won't let them have their happy ending, I assure you of that." JB argued, as anger took the best of him.

“Don't stoop to your brother's level. You're better than Park Jinyoung. What will you gain from this, huh? Emotional blackmailing is beneath you. If you guilt-trip those two, you yourself will end up getting hurt. That's absurd, I won't let you do this!" Youngjae exclaimed, appalled to hear those words coming out of his former lover's mouth.

"You kept people's secrets all the time, can't you do the same for me? That’s how you say you love me?" JB gave him an accusing look. Youngjae gasped.

"Don’t you dare guilt-trip me, you ass! This is not the same thing. Your family and I kept things from you in order to keep you from suffering. What you wanna do now is to pretend you're suicidal to harm other people’s feelings, that's despicably low.” Youngjae’s voice already had an edge to it.

“I don’t know why you care so much about those two! Jinyoung was terrible to you before you left for Mokpo, and you barely know Mark!” a relentless Jaebeom furrowed his brows.

“Well, I know what it means to love someone and not be able to act on that love.” Youngjae said in a painful voice. Jaebeom’s eyes grew large, but he managed to hide the effect those words had on him. A plan came to his mind immediately. He assumed that an irresistible proposition could be used in his advantage.

“Be my ally, help me keep them apart, and I promise you to give us a second chance.” JB declared in a serious tone. He knew that Youngjae would feel tempted to accept that deal, that second chance was all the younger had been asking him since he returned from Mokpo.

“Go to hell.” Youngjae retorted, and stomped out of the room, leaving a flabbergasted JB behind. He found a conflicted Mark outside, sitting on a bench, staring at nothing.

“Jinyoung left in a panicked state. I tried to ask him what was wrong, but he just told me not to follow him. What’s going on? Can I see JB now?” the American asked at once.

“If that’s what you want, go ahead. But don’t believe a word he says. I don’t know who is that guy in there.” A disturbed Youngjae said in a hurry as he walked down the corridor.

“Where are you going?!” Mark asked puzzled, as he observed the younger use his phone to call a cab.

“Away from here. Perhaps I should return to Mokpo. I’m seriously done with this place.” A nauseated Youngjae replied, before he reached the south exit at the end of the corridor and disappeared from his view.

Mark could tell that whatever Jaebeom discussed with his brother and Youngjae made the two extremely upset. He wondered if he should just go in and demand answers from him, or if he should kneel before his stepbrother and beg for his forgiveness. He didn’t know which approach he should take. He was mad at him for doing something so selfishly stupid, but the fact that JB even attempted such a thing also saddened him. He thought of running away from there, leaving all that drama behind, but then he remembered that someone had foreseen something like that. Jinyoung once warned his twin that Mark would take off as soon as trouble came knocking on their door. Well, that was a perfect opportunity to prove the Lim actor wrong. Mark would take responsibility for his acts and its consequences. He knew that he needed to see his stepbrother, he had to look after him like Taek-geun asked him to. Mark always believed that he had been a shitty brother to Joey, but he promised himself that he would not repeat the same mistake with Jaebeom. He told himself that he would not kill JB, neither with his actions nor with his words. Therefore, he took a deep breath and went inside the room.

“You’re back already? I know you wouldn’t be able to resist me.” Jaebeom said sarcastically, thinking that the person in there was Youngjae, who had changed his mind, and returned to the room, to cling to his side. He didn’t even glance at the door, he just smirked to himself. Mark noticed how his expression reminded him of Jinyoung’s, when he was being cynical and detestable.

“It’s me.” The American announced, shyly. Jaebeom stopped breathing for a second. He turned his head to the direction of the door and the pain hit him all over again, in tumultuous waves. All the confidence he had minutes ago, immediately retreated, his smirk promptly vanished and all the offences he intended to shout at that person dissipated into thin air.

“I don’t want you here. I don’t want your pity.” The Korean managed to say when the older approached his bed and placed a hand on one of his restrained hands.

“I don’t pity anyone but myself. I would’ve lost someone very precious to me, if you had lost your balance on that roof.” Mark said softly. His touch burned the Korean’s skin. Mark was like fire itself, a bonfire that seared through his very soul, that set alight his own heart. Jaebeom wished that heavenly flame could just engulf him. Swallow him whole, till there was nothing left, but a pile of dancing ashes. Yet, he could only be scorched by the American’s unruly blaze, for the sizzling heat emanating from Mark, already caused firestorms in someone else. That blistering warmth belonged to another.

“I’m not Joey, and I’m not dead. I’m immortal, remember? But you can’t see that.” Jaebeom said quietly as he stared at the white ceiling of the room. Mark tried hard not to cry.

“That was your intention then? To prove to the world that even if you jumped, you wouldn’t die?” Mark asked, as he slowly sat on the edge of his bed. He moved delicately, as if any abrupt movement he made could disrupt the unstable serenity that glossed his stepbrother’s eyes.

“One can only become immortal once he vanquishes death. But this morning wasn’t the case, I just sought to annihilate a headache that can’t be cured at once. I wasn’t trying to prove anything at all.” Jaebeom informed him, trying to sound casual, endeavoring not to breakdown in front of the older. The words the American fired at him earlier in the schoolyard crushed him, yet, now Jaebeom just pretended he hadn’t listened to them. He had to make up an explanation that could justify his visit to the school roof. But, above all, he had to convince Mark that he had no intention to jump. Jaebeom had no qualms about guilt tripping his brother, but he couldn’t do the same to the older. He knew how Mark would get whenever Joey, Raymond and death was mentioned. He didn’t want to scare him, or make the boy more miserable than he already was. “It won’t happen again. It’s not like I was looking for a permanent solution for a temporary problem. The weather was very hot this morning, our little chat made me even more hotheaded, you see. Therefore, I went up there to get some air and reflect on life. I didn’t even realize I was so close to that ledge.” JB’s lame excuse was too weak and he knew that. His acting skills were never as good as Jinyoung’s. The American frowned at him, it was clear that he would never buy that story. The Korean then, came up with something more believable. “All right, truth to be told, I was high as a kite, Mark. And for some reason I thought I could fly.” The American’s eyes grew large.

“Well, why did you take those drugs in the first place? It’s because of what I said to you? Who gave them to you?” Mark asked impatiently.

“It doesn’t matter now. I learned from my mistake. I’m not touching that kind of stuff again. I don’t want to die, I’m not leaving you. I plan to stay around for a long time, you won’t be able to get rid of me that easy.” Jaebeom insisted, giving him a sad smile. The older looked puzzled, but somewhat, relieved.

“I thought you would be angry at me. After what I said to you, I thought you’d never want to see me again.” Mark never felt so grateful towards him. After everything that happened, Jaebeom had no intention of turning his back on him. Even learning about his flaws and mistakes, he wouldn’t cast him away. The American realized that his stepbrother accepted who he truly was, and that was enough for him. He prayed that once the attraction between them faded away, they could move on with time, and find a new direction to properly channel their affinity. The older had finally come to terms with the fact that their ‘love’ was merely platonic and nothing more than that. Jaebeom was a great comfort to him when his country, and Eric were taken from him. His stepbrother helped him to adapt, to overcome his homesickness, and make him believe that it was possible to find love where he least expected it. JB would always be dear to him, and nothing could change that.

“I thought that too. But that doesn’t seem to be the case. All my anger melted away the moment I saw you at the door. Jinyoung didn’t get this kind of special treatment, you know. I’m not sure if I can find a way in my heart to forgive him. But I guess, I still wanna be part of your life. It might take sometime, but I hope we can still try to be friends.” Jaebeom didn’t even believe the words that kept escaping from his mouth. Deep down, he knew that being friends with Mark was an impossible mission. However, the older needed reassurance and he couldn’t deny him that. If he got angry and shouted at Mark for falling in love with Jinyoung, an unmeasurable distance would immediately grow between them, and JB couldn’t bear being away from him now. Although his pride was hurt, he’d rather keep the American close. On the other hand, he was furious at his brother. He felt humiliated and jealous. He wondered what was so special about Jinyoung. Jaebeom had slept with Jackson before and nothing came out of that one-night stand, but as soon as Jinyoung and Jackson’s relationship became more sexual, they became inseparable. JB didn’t have romantic feelings towards the Hongkonger, but that fact made him feel that he was lacking in something. He asked himself what his brother had that he didn’t have. Now Mark and Jinyoung’s affair made his insecurities double. He was envious of the magnetic aura surrounding his venomous twin, and he inevitably blamed the whole MarkJinSon throuple arrangement on Jinyoung. He wasn’t able to control that sickening hatred inside of him. He felt that if he didn’t do anything about it, it would rip him open. Then he decided to let it out, through payback. He would use that supposed attempted suicide to make Jinyoung pay for all the times he insidiously came between him and Mark. And if he played his cards right, JB believed that the older would come running back to him.

“Wow, when I entered this room I expected to hear all kind of things, but I never expected to hear the word ‘friends’ coming from you.” Mark gave him a look of disbelief and sighed. “Maybe it’s too soon? I don’t know…Hours ago I was kissing the hell out of you in the schoolyard...But I do wish that someday in the future, we can laugh about all this, and indeed become brothers, like we were supposed to be, since the beginning.” The older said awkwardly, as he rubbed his neck and bit his lower lip. Jaebeom’s words were too good to be true, and the American had already concluded that staying away from each other from that moment on, would be the healthiest thing to do for both parties. Mark figured that Jinyoung could maybe accept the constant and intimate presence of Jackson in their lives, but Jaebeom was another story.

“I’d like that.” Jaebeom hated that. He would be no brother to him. He wanted to be his guy, his lover, the man of his dreams. He promised himself that after he was done torturing Jinyoung, he would get Mark back.

“Your family will be relieved to see you so positive, and not suicidal.” Mark cleared his throat, uneasily. “But you really need to fix things with your dad, and Jin-”

"The doctor is here. Mark, come on out, let's give them a moment." Dorine appeared at the door and saw Mark holding JB's hands. Her son stood up startled and turned to the door. His mom was there with the doctor, waiting for him to move. He wondered if she thought that something was going on. He wished he could stay a little more, but he just gave his stepbrother a reassuring look, and left the room with his mother behind him. When they reached the corridor, he turned to her abruptly.

"What are you doing here? I thought you went back to Kirin High with-"

"I was going to. But Taek-geun told me you were here, so I decided to stay. He even appreciated the idea, he thought I could offer some counselling to our sons." She said somewhat ashamed, as she looked down. He simply eyed her in disbelief and disregarded the sorrow etched on her face.

"Have you seen Jinyoung?" Mark asked quickly, not really in the mood for a chat with the counselor of Kirin High.

"He's with Wang and the other kids at the lobby. I know the young ones won't leave before they have a look Jaebeom. I'll see if Bambam and Yugyeom have a peak at your stepbrother for a minute or two." She said in a softer tone, unable to meet his judging eyes.

"That's very kind of you, mother." Mark said sarcastically, emphasizing the last word of his sentence. "Now I'm gonna join my boyfriend and my friends if you don't mind." He announced as he took a few steps away from her.

“You call Jackson your boyfriend, but what about Jaebeom? It’s him, right? He’s the one you’re in love with.” She suggested tentatively, as she cocked her head to the side. Mark didn’t know what to say for a long minute. However, he thought that if Dorine misunderstood that situation, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. He was aware that she wasn’t happy about his closeness with Jinyoung. Throwing her off the scent now, could be a way to avoid more arguments that day. If she thought that Jaebeom’s attempted suicide was his fault, he didn’t care anymore. JB himself said he wasn’t suicidal and he believed him. His mother could make a scene, scream, and throw things at him, but he wouldn’t let her get to him. He decided to follow his Hongkonger boyfriend’s advice, and stand up for himself.

“It’s over between us. Whatever was going on between JB and I ended today. You don’t have to worry about our relationship, okay? Taek-geun doesn’t need to know, it’s no use at this point. Let’s just forget about this topic. Jaebeom and I decided that we’re not good as a couple. He and I we’ll be just stepbrothers from now on.” Mark said quickly, hoping that she would just drop the subject.

“I doubt that. I saw the way he looked at you when I entered that room. I remember how serious you were back at the house when you told me that you loved each other, and that if I tried to make you break up with him, you two would run away together. This is not over for him, Mark. And judging by your discomfort right now, I don’t think this is over for you either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, is JB a villain now??  
> Sorry JB's fans, I keep torturing u all. But remember I luv you all!XD


	28. Time Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." ~ Paulo Coelho

Dorine Tuan tried to get the whole story out of her son, but he wasn't making it easy for her. Mark quickly changed the turn of their conversation. He started to complain about the way she aggressively attacked him in the kitchen back at the house. He kept throwing her awful 'motherly' behavior of earlier at her face, making her see that there were more pressing issues between them to be addressed at that moment. Dorine fell for it. She soon tried to find a way to explain herself. She didn't want to be the bereaved Dorine Tuan of LA who stuffed herself with sleeping pills and had no idea of how to deal with her problematic son. She had swore to herself that as soon as Mark landed in Korea, she would be the mother she was supposed to be. She knew that Raymond and herself constantly favored Joey over Mark, she was aware that they never intended to hide their favoritism in front of him, and the teenager never actually blamed them for that, he always felt that he was inferior to the piano prodigy that was his brother. However, Mark couldn’t help but resent the fact that his parents wanted to him to be a clone of his sibling, a copy of their golden boy, someone he wasn't supposed to be. And whenever Mark proved to be totally the opposite of what they wanted, they'd unfairly lash out at him. Joey was the warmer son, more disciplined, respectful, talented and clearly more filial than he was. Mark's personality was unlike his, and he was disfavored because of it. He didn't mind if his parents pampered Joey, but at least being accepted for who he was, would certainly make things less painful for him and ease his lack of self-esteem. He thought that it was too late for his mother to make amends. Yet, she believed that there was still hope for them.

"I'm sorry, okay? What happened in that kitchen today shouldn't have happened. I don't know what has gotten into me, I lost control. First, that kid came to my office and told me you were the reason he was contemplating suicide. Then I learn that Jaebeom indeed attempted suicide the same day! I thought you were lying to me, I suspected you did something to harm your stepbrother. Then I got angry and sad. I thought of all the things you did at your school back in LA and I couldn't help but think of him." She struggled to further explain herself.

"Joey." Mark wished they were having that kind of conversation in another occasion, in a quieter and more place. That corridor was too loud, and all the time some hospital staff would pass by them. He didn’t want Dorine to apologize. He didn’t really believe that she was sorry for the way she behaved in the past. Raymond and Joey were gone. Excuses were useless at that point, they would change nothing.

"Yes, and all I kept thinking to myself was that JB was perfectly healthy before you came to this city. Then you arrived just to make me lose a son again." A tear escaped from her eye. Mark frowned at her. He wondered if she was trying to make him feel worse with that confession. Dorine simply shook her head, as if she could read his mind. “It hurts to be honest, son. But back in LA, it was always easier to pretend that you were the source of all the problems in our family, instead of acknowledging my flaws and your dad’s. Now I realize that even in a different country, surrounded by a different culture and different family, I still insist on repeating the same pattern. I should’ve understood that you just hide things from me, because you think I’m unable to help you, because all your life you had to deal with your problems on your own. You got used to it, but you’re a kid, and that’s not right. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?” she eyed him with remorse, but all the teenager wanted was to walk away from that conversation. He thought that his relationship with Jaebeom was an unspeakable topic to discuss with Dorine earlier, but this subject was surely making him more uneasy than he expected.

"I understand." He said quickly, without thinking, without looking at her.

"No, Mark. You don't. Even if you think so, I need you to know that you’re not to blame for your brother and father’s deaths, or for what’s going on at school involving the soccer team. You didn’t put Jaebeom on that roof either.” She took a deep breath and continued. “I am your mother. Whatever you did before, whoever you become, it’s on me. I should've have never attacked you in the kitchen like that. After I remarried, I promised myself that I would be a better mother, a better human being for you, for this family, for the sake of those who are not amongst us anymore. I'm sure your dad and your brother want us to move on, to keep living. But today I realized how greedy and delusional I am. If I'm far from being okay, how can I even make things okay between us?” Dorine asked as she wiped her tears.

“I guess you tried.” Mark was bewildered. Did his mother just admit that there was something wrong with her? He could almost feel sorry for her.

“I did and I failed. My attitude this morning was disgraceful. You see, I always thought that mothers are not supposed to outlive their children. And you know how precious he was, better than all of us. I felt that Joey was an extension of Raymond and I. He was our heritage. A piece of us that would remain alive even after we died. But so are you, Mark, and you’re alive. I’m glad that you are.” Her voice almost cracked when she finished her sentence.

“Dorine.” Mark felt his own eyes water when he held her gaze.

“Please forgive me, okay? When you joined the Lim family I stopped to attend a grief support group for parents who have lost their children. I thought I was okay, I thought you and I could reinvent ourselves in this new family. Leave the past and its grudges behind. I'm so sorry, Yi-en, I guess I’ll have to work harder on my anger management. I’m going back to the group because I believe there’s still hope for us. Maybe you should start seeing someone too. I know you still grieve their death.” She suggested tentatively, but Mark’s expression changed.

"I'm tired of discussing this with you. This isn't going anywhere." Mark retorted, taking a step back.

“Yi-en, all I am saying is that we need to be honest with each other, and with ourselves. There’s no shame in looking for professional help, I can get you-”

“I’m not fucking crazy! I’m not you!” he spat. Was his mother trying to gaslight him? Was it her strategy to punish him all over again? He wondered.

“I’m not saying that you are! But you’re clearly not well either. Eric was no good for you, but this thing you have with Jaebeom is clearly not normal, and we need to sit down and find a solution to it. Do you expect me to let you two live under the same roof? He's been staying at his grandpa's mansion for a while now, but I don't think his father will let him go back there after this suicide attempt. Taek-geun will want to keep him close, look after his well-being and-"

"What is it that really bothers you, huh? What exactly do you think it’s not normal? The fact that I’m gay, or the fact that I’m sleeping with my stepbrother? Do you want me to leave the house, then? You're going to remain married and simply kick me out, or you're still checking in that hotel with me? I mean, the suitcases must be in the same place we left them." He couldn’t believe her, he hated her. Dorine looked lost, unable to send her message across.

“You slept with Jaebeom?” she sounded scandalized.

“No!” he raised his voice this time. He had to remind himself that his mother didn’t know that Jinyoung was the one who he was actually having sex with.

“But you just said so!” she put one of her hands on her head and took a deep breath. “Listen, don’t lie to me. I need to know how far you and Jaebeom went-"

"This is my business! I don't have to tell you shit! Leave me alone!" Mark raised his voice now and when Dorine reached for his arm, suddenly, another stopped hers. It was the second time that day that Mark was saved by a boyfriend, and this one didn't speak Mandarin.

"Are you psychoanalyzing your kid in the middle of a corridor, counselor? I thought someone had to make a formal appointment for that." Jinyoung said sarcastically as he pulled Mark protectively to his side.

"I'm having a word with my son. Stay out of it!" She said in arrogant tone as she eyed the Korean with clear displeasure, and took a step forward in Mark's direction. Jinyoung put himself between the two.

"Back off! You touch him again, and I'll tell father what you did to him back at the house. Jackson witnessed everything and he told me about it. You won't have a job at Kirin High School after I expose you. Wait, I can do better than that. I can contact Seoul's department of social services and ask a social worker to stop by the Lims' dysfunctional home. Imagine how such a visit could ruin your marriage and your career! Three adolescents under your care, completely fucked up. I started a fire at school, my brother tried to off himself, Mark is obviously missing some brain cells, cause all he thinks about is death... Do you have any idea of what will happen to you once I tell them you are responsible for all of this?" Jinyoung gave her a nonchalant look and his smirk grew large when the woman retreated.

"Park Jinyoung." she gritted her teeth in exasperation.

"I'm taking my stepbrother for a walk, and you'd better stay away from us." The Korean declared victoriously as he waved her goodbye, took Mark by the hand and left her cursing under her breath in the corridor.

Jinyoung silently led Mark to an on-call room of the hospital and quickly locked themselves inside it. The American was surprised when the younger turned around, wrapped his arms around him and kissed his lips desperately. The Korean's hands caressed his back and buttocks, while his mouth devoured his. Mark smiled into the kiss. After Jinyoung's confession, they didn't have a single moment for themselves. He was thankful for Jinyoung’s rescue. If he stayed on more minute with his mother, he would probably end up on a hospital bed too. The American could feel the stress leaving his body as the other embraced him. Jinyoung’s tongue and arms had a special way of calming him down. When they broke the kiss, Mark beamed at him.

"What is this place? Are you okay now?" A curious Mark couldn't help but ask. Earlier that day, Jinyoung avoided him completely, now the younger held on his waist for dear life. His stepbrother's magnetic eyes followed each movement of his lips.

"I paid a nurse to give us some privacy here. We have a couple of hours." He sighed. "I was stupid for shutting you out earlier, I was just a bit stressed, you know? I shouldn't have done it. I realize now that I can only find comfort in your arms. Perhaps you can relate to that?" The Korean said in an apologetic voice, and when Mark nodded to him in an understanding manner, the other just tightened his hold on him and brushed his nose against his. 

"I can relate. By the way, I love you." The American said suddenly, as his hands gently cradled the younger's stunned face. His stepbrother, whose heart seemed to have skipped a beat, gazed into his eyes intensely, as if he sought to verify the legitimacy of those words. He blinked a few times and a sigh of relief escaped him. He smiled lovingly at Mark, and the older smiled back, completely overwhelmed by their obvious connection.

"I love you too." Jinyoung breathed out as he leaned in for another passionate kiss. His tongue invaded the older's mouth with such eagerness that the latter almost lost his balance. Mark was in cloud nine. He didn't think he felt anything quite like that before. At that very moment he felt like life was worth living. He would kill to be kissed like that every single day. 

Jinyoung swiftly disentangled himself from him and pulled his shirt over his head. Mark's pants became tight and his heart started to race when his eyes fell upon his stepbrother's abs. He couldn't help but sigh in satisfaction when Jinyoung's muscles flexed as he dropped the shirt on the floor behind him. Mark licked his lips and also got rid of his shirt. Jinyoung had already removed his pants and he was already on his briefs when he approached Mark again to help him unbutton and unzip his pants. Mark moaned as he felt Jinyoung's fingers brush against his manhood. The younger kissed him again, spreading soft kisses all around his face. He disconnected their lips to taste his cheek, chin and nip at his neck playfully. Within a second, the Korean pushed the waistband of the elder’s pants and boxers down making them slide to the floor. Mark's hands traveled along his backside and his fingers slowly pushed Jinyoung's briefs down.

Soon they were both naked on a stranger's bed, jerking each other off as if they wanted to delay their next move. The teenagers were facing each other and playing with each other cock when Jinyoung crawled on top of Mark and kissed him while pressing their hips together. The older automatically spread his legs open for the other to adjust himself between them. Mark bit his lips in anticipation as the words freely slipped out of his mouth.

"Fuck me." He whispered weakly, but with determination. Jinyoung studied his excited features and smirked at him. They were both too hard. There was no way they could prolong that foreplay any longer.

"You mean you wanna fuck me?" The younger teased. He knew exactly what the other wanted. 

"No. Yes. I mean just do it." Mark whined as he felt Jinyoung's fingers already massaging his hole.

"Do what?" The younger insisted in a sexy tone, as he gave Mark a brief peck and waited for his response.

"You know. Make love to me." Mark whispered shyly. His ears turned read and Jinyoung simply lost all his composure. His smirk was replaced by a rapturous expression. He slowly withdrew his finger from Mark's entrance, and started sucking his cock. The older looked confused, but ready to reach his climax. Jinyoung's blowjobs always made him come too quickly. He tried to push the Korean off his cock because he was too close and he wanted it to last, he wanted them to do it together, but the younger seemed to have other plans. With a bit more of stimulation Mark's body was already wiggling and squirming as shots of electricity ran all over his body. He came inside Jinyoung's hot cavern. Before his breathing returned to normal, he observed how Jinyoung spit on his hand the cum he had just milked out of him and coated his dick and fingers with it. All that preparation made the older lick his lips and pull the other close for another searing kiss. Jinyoung chuckled and made other release his lips.

"Don't distract me, babe. I don't wanna hurt you. We have no lube here. Your own cum might not be the ideal alternative for it but-"

"Put it in me." Mark whispered sensuously as he spread his legs wider and caressed Jinyoung's butt with his feet. It didn't take longer for the younger to push one, and then two fingers inside Mark. The older slowly got used to the stretching as he started to touch himself, bringing his own cock back to action. Mark threw his head back and moaned loud when Jinyoung's finger continuously brushed his prostrate.

"Are you ready for me, babe?" Jinyoung asked, as his eyes never left Mark's. The older just nodded to him. The latter’s consent led Jinyoung to remove his fingers from the American’s hole and gradually replaced them with his thick cock. The Korean was able to slide about half way in without much problem, but at some point, he heard a painful moan echo in the room. Mark felt Jinyoung tense up. He noticed how the rough invasion came to a stop after his pitiful noise. But he didn’t want his stepbrother to feel bad about it, so he encouraged him.

"Nyoungie, it's okay. I want you, so bad. You're mine now, only mine. I love you so much. I love your cock inside me, go deeper. Please, don't stop." The panting American said, as he used his legs to bring the younger closer to him and penetrate him faster.

"Oh, fuck! Always so tight, honey. Just like the first time." Jinyoung moaned, drunk on him. Mark's words had enticed his movements even more. He couldn't help but communicate his own feelings too. "Fuck, I love you too. More than anything, more than you can imagine. You're the best I've ever had, the best I'll always have. I adore your hole. And it's all mine now. I'm gonna eat you alive. You're mine and no one else's." He said as he removed himself out of the older, firmly held Mark by the hips, adjusted himself between his legs, and took hold of his rock hard dick again just to bury it inside the other's anus completely. They both let out a large groan at the same time. Jinyoung didn't give him time to ask for more, his thrusts inside the American's tight hole were incessant and rhythmically strong. Mark was still in a small amount of pain, but the weight of Jinyoung's sweaty body over him, the way his accelerated breath ghosted the skin of his neck, the feeling of his cock moving in and out of him, the erotic sound of flesh slapping against flesh, and the continuous contact of Jinyoung's balls meeting his ass, made his toes curl with pleasure. With a bit more of time, he couldn't focus on anything else but the way the cock inside him provided his body so much delight. He bucked up and gyrated his hips. Jinyoung ram into him as he kissed every inch of Mark's skin within his reach. He licked, sucked, and marked it with his teeth.

"Nyoungie, I'm gonna come." An immensely aroused Mark announced, unable to delay the peak of his pleasure any longer. His words made Jinyoung speed up his thrusts, with more urgency and vigor.

"Come for me babe, come for your lover. I'm almost there. Scream for me." Jinyoung said, as he wrapped his hand around Mark's dick and started pumping it. The American's head was already spinning when he felt Jinyoung's warm seed fill him inside. That nameless sensation that overwhelmed the older, made him ejaculate all over his and the younger's stomach.

"Nyoungiiiiie, ah!" Mark screamed, before he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his panting boyfriend, totally worn out. Jinyoung laid on top of him as he listened to Mark's heartbeats slowly return to normal. Jinyoung was still inside him and he wouldn't complain if he stayed there longer, but soon the younger moved out of him and laid by his side.

"I love you so much." Jinyoung said again as he ran a hand through his hair. Every time Jinyoung said those magical words, Mark felt like his chest would burst. Eric had told him that, so did Jackson. Yet, the way Jinyoung said it, the fact that it took him so long to say it, mesmerized Mark. The memories of the "I love yous' he heard before, brought other thoughts to his mind. He swiftly lifted his arm to examine his arm. He gasped as soon as his eyes searched his left wrist, and he realized that the bracelet his Hongkonger boyfriend had given him wasn't there.

"Oh, shit." Mark whispered as he quickly sat up on the bed and looked around him. He ignored the soreness on his backside and abruptly started getting dressed. Jinyoung seemed to know what he was looking for, but didn't move from the bed. 

"Why are you in such a hurry? We still have half an hour." The Korean said calmly. He didn't even bother getting up. He had no intention of helping his stepbrother looking for something he already had in his possession.

"Have you seen it? Have you seen the bracelet? I could swear I was wearing it this morning. Now it's gone and-"

"And what?" Jinyoung's tone became serious.

"What am I gonna tell him!?" The panicked American sounded desperate.

"That you're mine and no one else's." Jinyoung stated, and Mark stopped moving. A silence fell between them. Then Mark approached the bed again and stared hard at him.

"Where is it?" He questioned the other. Mark was absolutely sure that Jinyoung had taken it from him.

"Where is your heart, Mark?" The Korean asked, his eyes bore into him.

"What!?" Mark asked nervously.

"What does that piece of jewelry proves? That you’re his? Correct me if I’m wrong, but it doesn’t make sense for you to wear it anymore. Are you ready to take responsibility for your acts and feelings?" The younger sat up in the bed and gave him a challenging look. The American eyed him in disbelief.

"Jinyoung, wait!” the older sighed. “Listen to me, okay? We'll tell him, but not now, not like this." Mark swallowed hard, as he bit his lips. He didn't expect that turn of events.

"A rule was broken, I topped you, and you asked for it, you wanted it. We both enjoyed it. We love each other, I don't share whom I love. I'm the only boyfriend you have from now on and I hope you do the same. We have rule 77 in our favor. The situation changed. Jack needs to know." Jinyoung stated as his eyes bored into Mark’s.

"Jinyoung, please, hear me out-"

"He is my friend. We don't hide things from each other, you know that. I was unable to keep from him how I really feel about you. I will not hide this from him. We'll go down to the lobby right now and tell him exactly what happened here." The younger said firmly, and the other couldn’t help but look away.

"This is too sudden. We cannot do this to him. He doesn't deserve it! It' not the best time to do something like this. Your brother is in a hospital bed, for Christ's sake. Everybody is distraught, Got7 hasn't even recovered from the shock!" Mark desperately tried to reason with him, as he paced around the tiny room.

"One more reason we should hurry things up and make it official. I want us to be a properly monogamous loving couple, and I don't mean to hide it from anyone. Once JB gets up from that fucking bed, I want him to know exactly whom you belong to." Jinyoung stated firmly as he finally stood up and started to put on his clothes. The older eyed him horrified. However, the way his boyfriend mentioned JB puzzled him.

"What's going on? How does this have anything to do with JB?" Mark raised an eyebrow at him.

"He thinks he can outsmart me. But I know him better than anyone else. I know what he's planning. It was a shock at first, when I heard him try to blackmail me. I was genuinely devastated because of this so-called attempted suicide! That's why when he used my words against me, I had no choice but feel like the worst brother in the world. Yet, when I left his room, and cooled down a bit, I knew something was off. My brother is not a spineless coward, and he’s not mentally ill either. I knew then he was playing me. Then Choi Youngjae texted me. He told me all I need to know. Surprisingly, the kid is on our side." Jinyoung said, but his words didn’t make much sense to the other.

"What did I miss? JB blackmailed you? Jae is on our side? I’m actually confused. Can you start from the beginning? What's all that supposed to mean?" Mark questioned, as he placed his hands on his hips.

"It means that if you wanna be with me Mark, you'll have to break some hearts, and endure a long period of hardships. I'm talking about, our family, friends, classmates, neighbors and basically the whole fucking town. But that's just a little sacrifice we have to make to be together. I'm sure you won't mind." Jinyoung’s cynical tone was back and that wasn’t a good sign. All those predictions were made by the Korean before, and he had preached them to his twin. Mark had heard him say them, and he didn’t pay much heed to those warnings at the time. Now everything seemed too real and astounding. Mark did not consider the kind of trouble he was getting himself into months ago. Yugyeom's words also made totally sense now, and he couldn't help but wonder why he foolishly thought that calling Jinyoung his wouldn't have serious consequences. The American was genuinely afraid. He had never forced himself to be who he wasn't back in LA. He never felt compelled to go against his own nature to please someone. He neither did it for his family, nor for Eric, nor for anyone. He refused to run with the flock. People could call him a rebel, a wayward adolescent who didn't fall in the line with his relatives of Taiwanese background…Whatever, he just didn't care. He was born American, after all. However, South Korea was a real challenge for him since he arrived. His involvement with the Lims compelled him to tone down some traits of his personality. If Jinyoung had asked him to take their romance public months ago, he wouldn't have said no, but now things were different. He had too much to lose. Somehow, he got attached to his new home. He still missed America, his language, his friends, but now he had Got7. He liked Yugyeom's sometimes innocent, sometimes grown-up attitude, he enjoyed Bambam's loudness and his undying positive vibe. Even though he was JB’s ex, Youngjae had grown on him, and as he started to get used to Got7's sunshine, he couldn't help but hope that he could see him smiling as sillily as he tended to do when they first met. Jinyoung and Jackson were two essential sources of strength and happiness for him. Though Jinyoung was a bit difficult initially, he had already fallen for him even before he said it out loud. Jackson, who everyone judged as the not-even-in-a-million-of-years boyfriend material, conquered him with his tenderness and loyalty. He loved him too, no doubt. He had mixed feelings towards JB, but he did want to remain as someone close to him. He wanted to make sure his dongsaeng stayed away from drugs and roofs. He couldn't turn his back on him now. School was still tough, no doubt. He never liked attending it, not even in LA, but the moments he shared with Got7 at the Kirin High School’s cafeteria became a pleasant routine. It was a part of the day he found himself looking forward to. And when Kirin High came to his mind, he couldn't help but remember of its principal. Mr. Lim was nothing like his late dad. The man who had married his widowed mother had admirable father-like traits that made him envy the Lim boys sometimes. Taek-geun wasn't perfect, but Mark learned to understand and appreciate him. He didn't feel like letting his stepfather down, he didn't wanna destroy their already fragile harmony. An although Dorine was still the woman who once wished he was dead, in Korea she never said those haunting words even once to him, and the teenager was at least, grateful for that. Maybe she really intended to make it up for him, maybe she didn’t mean to sound like a homophobic earlier, maybe she just wanted to sit down and listen to what he had to say. There were so many possibilities… Yet, if he agreed with Jinyoung’s proposal now, he would never have a chance to experience them.

"You're out of your fucking mind? I don't know what Jae told you, or why your brother tried to blackmail you, but I assure you we can navigate this situation without hushing into things. Just take a deep breath okay? The world is not gonna end tomorrow! We will be together, properly together, but now it's not the time to flaunt what we have so carelessly." Mark’s anguished expression bothered Jinyoung to no end.

"You said you love me!" The Korean accused angrily as his eyes watered and his lips quivered. The American had never seen him cry, and he hated to sound so vulnerable in front of him, but he couldn’t help it. 

"You're asking for too much!" Mark shouted back. Jinyoung's hurt expression made him regret his words as soon as they left his mouth. But the damage was done, and before he could say anything else, Jinyoung put on his shoes, unlocked the door and stomped out of the room.

"I'm sorry." Mark whispered, but his apologies weren't fast or loud enough to reach the younger's ears. He wondered if he should go after his boyfriend, but he chose to sit on that single dirty bed they had just made love. That on-call room suddenly became too cold without the younger there. However, even if he ran after Jinyoung, his answer would still be the same. The American needed a time out from the world outside that door. He allowed himself some minutes to put his unsettled mind to rest while he reflected on his own change of heart.

Mark realized why Youngjae praised his lack of restraint at first. He himself kinda missed it, that feeling of having nothing to lose. It was liberating, the numbing comfort he had in the thought that whatever bad outcome was originated by his ‘deviant’ actions, nothing would be more painful than his own trivial tragic reality. He desperately sought for that feeling somewhere in his soul now in order to satisfy his lover, but he wasn't able to find it anymore. Recklessness could make things worse in that situation. He had to keep his mother from overreacting. Jinyoung's threat could keep her at bay for a while, but he was sure that once she found out about his relationship with JB’s twin, she would immediately ship him back to California. 

He was between a rock and a hard place. His boyfriend asked him to give up everything, to provide him the ultimate proof of love one could ask for. Forget the madness of the world and create one of their own. Ironically, the American was the one who couldn’t say yes. Only now, he realized that being a romantic fool could be lethal. He clearly loved his stepbrother, but love wasn't everything. He thought that Jinyoung was being stubborn and dangerously childish. Unlike him, Mark feared what could happen to his stepfamily, and he had to be mature enough to think before acting. He hoped Jinyoung could understand his decision, and that they'd be able to talk about their situation with more discernment the next day. Mark prayed that the Korean could rethink his attitude, and eventually find clarity, because only then, the pair would have a chance to carefully start building their happy ending, in their own pace, without unleashing chaos around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who needs a time out after this lovely/sad Markjin chapter?^^


	29. You Calling My Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Never let an old flame burn you twice."

It was a hot morning at Kirin High school when Jackson led his dongsaengs to the bleacher seats of the soccer field. He had brought them there to discuss a matter that urgently required their attention. He had to explain to his friends why Jinyoung had decided to go back to the soccer team and why they should support his decision. Mark was the one who worried more about those news. The image of a bruised Jinyoung tied up to a chair at a rainy night in the school office room hadn't left his mind, and still disturbed him. However, he knew that no matter what he said, Jinyoung would do whatever the hell he wanted. After all, Mark had no right to tell him what to do, or ask him why he was doing it. The young Lim didn't consult his friends nor his boyfriends to make that decision. He had informed Jackson that he needed a break from their throuple relationship and also asked him to let Mark know about it. It was clear that the Korean hadn't told his Hongkonger friend what had happened between him and Mark, and the latter also pretended that everything was fine. But Jackson knew it wasn't. He was obviously aware that after Jinyoung's confession in the cafeteria, something had changed in the trio's dynamics. But he was too afraid to ask what exactly had changed. Was their throuple falling apart? Would he lose a best friend and a boyfriend at some point? Who would Mark choose to experience rule 77? Was that even a rule anymore? To Jackson it meant the end of all their arrangements, and if that's what was about to happen, he knew hearts would certainly be broken. He sorrowfully wondered if it was his.

The American was aware that after the lovemaking/argument session in that on-call room, Jinyoung would probably react harsher than he expected he would in the following day. The young Lim neither replied his texts, nor picked up his calls, and staying in his grandfather's mansion was a perfect way to avoid the older. Mark was relieved that at least, the words 'break up' hadn't been mentioned yet. He was glad that Jackson hadn't asked about the bracelet that was missing from his wrist. He still didn't know how to answer that question if the topic ever came up. He needed to sit down with Jack and Jin to talk about their future. However, he understood that their full attention should be focused on the soccer team now, and whatever romantic affairs that needed to be discussed, would have to wait.

JB spent more time on observation than he had expected. The teenager refused to tell his father or the authorities who had given him the drug. He claimed he had found the paper wrapped pill on the stairs that led to the roof and he took it without thinking too much of it. J.Y. Park's influence kept the police from interfering too much on the case, and for the first time, since he had met the CEO, Taek-geun was thankful to him. Nevertheless, the doctors advised Mr. Lim to keep JB on observation one more day. Even though the teenager assured the psychologist who 'interviewed' him at the hospital that he wasn't suicidal, the doctor wanted to make sure Jaebeom didn't need to be moved to a psychiatric facility.

Jackson and Jinyoung's endeavors now were focused on finding out how that pill ended up on JB's hands. The whole group had to be more united than ever.

"Guys, we all know JB was high on that roof, and we all know who used to sell pills here in the school. Mino and Zico are gone, but some of his buddies might've decided to take up their job. We just need to know who exactly." Jackson said thoughtfully.

"Okay. Now everything makes sense! I was still wondering why Jinyoung would sleep at Taehyung's place yesterday. He's playing the undercover agent now, and he believes this kid can give him the answers we are looking for, right?" Bambam asked, as he watched the youngest Lim join the team on the field wearing their uniform. 

"Jinyoung slept where?! I thought he stayed at the hospital last night. Who the hell is Tae...Wait, is he the guy who went whining to my mom after the porn video was recorded?" Mark thought out loud, surprising the other 4 youngsters around him.

"How come you never told me that Taehyung talked to your mom about the video?" Jackson eyed him startled.

"Wait! What porn video?" Yugyeom looked flabbergasted. Bambam looked lost.

"Mark beat up Yoongji, Tae, Kookie and Jimin at the school office and made them masturbate one another in front of a camera." Everyone looked at an unbothered Youngjae who sat beside Jackson and just watched the soccer training. The Hongkonger knew about the video, but the maknaes were genuinely shook with the news. Jackson didn't mind telling them, but he wondered how his dongsaeng had found out.

"Jack, Jin and I were the only ones who knew about this. How the hell did you find out?" Mark questioned, squinting his eyes at him.

"Jinyoung told me." Youngjae confessed without much ceremony. He promised himself that he would not be a passive member of Got7 anymore. If any harmful secret that threatened to put the group under too much stress came to his knowledge, he would not keep it to himself. When he revealed to Jinyoung his twin's plans, the other also told him about the dirt they had on the players who had jumped on him at that rainy night in Kirin High. Youngjae argued that it was better to inform JB about that in order to keep him safe. Jinyoung agreed to him and let his dongsaeng know about his strategic 'return' to the team.

"It seems you two have been texting a lot these days. He's even telling you our throuple’s secrets. When did you get so close? Is there something Jack and I should know?" Mark asked him a bit too serious. Jackson frowned at his comment. The Hongkonger was used to Mark's introverted personality. The American was usually quiet during group conversations and he hid his feelings without much difficulty. But that didn't happen this time. What stunned him at that very moment was how his boyfriend's obvious jealousy was blatantly displayed for everyone to see. He had witnessed Mark lose his cool before, he saw it happen at Yugyeom's house, the day Youngjae arrived from Mokpo. Jackson knew that Mark was going through a lot at the time. They weren't officially a throuple yet, and Mark was still pining for JB. Now, Mark looked as scary as that day, but Jinyoung and Youngjae's closeness was the reason for his bad temper this time. Jackson wondered if his boyfriend's strong reaction was caused by Jinyoung's love confession. The Hongkonger had noticed that Mark wasn't wearing his bracelet since yesterday night, but he didn't have the heart to ask his boyfriend what had happened to it.

"Shit, man. You do look scary when you're jealous." The Thai boy chimed in. "Anyways, forget about these too, and tell me, did you really beat up those 4 players and made them gay for a day? Who came first? Wow, I need to see this video." Bambam looked amused as he gave his hyung the thumbs up. Mark just rolled his eyes at him. Yugyeom was still agape, trying to register all that information.

"Neither Mark nor anyone made Tae gay for a day. He's been like that since the day he was born." Jackson assured them with a knowing smile on his lips.

"Excuse me?!" An upset Mark frowned at him. He could guess what his boyfriend was going to say next.

"I don't mean to hide it from you. But Jin and I have been with him before, intimately. If you had told me he was causing trouble for you with your mother, I'd have talked to him. He's pretty harmless actually, but he tends to follow the crowd. I'd say he is a little sheep guided by a pack of wolves. He's always dragged around by his teammates, never questioning their actions. He's the submissive kind, you know." The Hongkonger commented casually. Mark stared hard at his boyfriend. He couldn't believe that Jackson had let the Korean get involved with the kid again. He hated the fact that Jinyoung was spending too much time with that same boy now. He couldn't help but wonder what Jinyoung was doing at Taehyung's house last night. He'd never imagine that his boyfriends had had a one night stand with one of the players who blackmailed them. That information inflamed him, but he wouldn't make a scene in front of his friends. 

"Jack, you dog! That was a hookup you didn't tell me about!" Bambam was clearly excited. He was a fan of Jackson's hookup stories. But he was the only one. Yugyeom had other things on his mind.

"Guys, once Jinyoung finds out who gave JB the drug, then what? Mark's going to beat the guy up?"

"Well, at least once we single out the culprit, we'll keep this person from harming us in the future. There's a high possibility that Yoongi, Tae, Kookie and Jimin aren't the ones who demanded from a high Jaebeom to stand on the ledge of that roof for 5 fucking minutes." Youngjae stated with determination. The group turned their heads at him all at once. Therefore, he clarified his words. "Before you all ask, yeah, JB isn't suicidal. He received Mark's nudes, and texts exchanged between Jack and Jin. That's why JB climbed those stairs in the first place, to keep them from being exposed." Youngjae said at once. Jackson gasped. Mark felt like murdering someone at that moment. If his boyfriend weren't there to put a hand on his knee, he would've stood up, jumped from those bleachers and mauled the team on that field.

"God, if I were here when JB climbed up there...If I had known...I would've made the whole soccer team leap to their deaths, one by one. Before I pushed them from the ledge, they'd have to beg for their lives. But guess what, I wouldn't give them the easy way out. Their blood would paint Kirin High's boring frontage crimson red. All our problems would have been solved by then." Mark said gloomily as his eyes travelled from the field to the roof of the school. The others fixed their attention on him, mouths agape with incredulity. An awkward silent fell for a long minute. Then Youngjae pretended that he hadn't heard what he had just heard, cleared his throat and returned to their main subject.

"Look, just don't let JB know that you guys know about this. I wasn't supposed to tell you any of it. But it was necessary. I'm sure he'll open up to you once he's ready." Youngjae warned them quickly. He spared the group of the emotional blackmail part. He'd never tell them how Jaebeom viciously guilt-tripped Jinyoung into giving up his relationship with Mark. He didn't want his friends to know how bitter their leader was. Youngjae felt that only Jinyoung should know about JB's real intentions. He believed that his twin would know how to carefully deal with it.

"So, the jocks were blackmailing him and he kept this fact to himself...This shit is going too far!" Yugyeom exclaimed. He would rarely curse, he would only do it in extreme situations, and that was one of them. Bambam had a hand on his mouth, and surprisingly, he still didn't know what to say at that moment. The Hongkonger seemed to ponder Youngjae's words. Now he understood why Jinyoung was so eager to find the player who gave the drugs to his twin. Still, the Hongkonger didn't understand why Jinyoung had hidden the details of that supposed suicidal attempt from him. His gut told him that lately, they weren't communicating very well. Actually, he wasn't sure if their friendship was still the same as it used to be before Mark Tuan.

"If he didn't do it, the Markjinson throuple would be exposed." Youngjae added, leaving JB and Mark's kiss in the schoolyard out of that context. Jaebeom would look more like a hero if he kept that from them. If the others didn't know that JB was also protecting himself from being exposed, they would admire his brave attitude even more. The kid didn't know if Jinyoung or Jackson knew about the kiss, and he told himself that he wouldn't be the one to reveal that to them. That was Mark's business. Youngjae aimed to keep the group together, and avoiding internal conflicts was the best approach right now. He wanted to uncomplicate things, not make them worse.

"That means Beom never stopped being loyal to us. Even though he hates the fact that Mark has two boyfriends now, he still behaved as a true leader. I knew he wouldn't play the victim role and try to kill himself. I knew it!" Jackson said proudly, as he smiled to himself. Bambam seemed to have other interests in his mind.

"By the way, these nudes you mentioned are those the ones Jinyoung had-"

"Yes, Bam. The ones taken at Yugyeom's party." The American cut him off abruptly. He didn't like to think that those pictures still existed, he hated to remember that Jinyoung did that to him once. "Can we move on from this subject, please? I mean, is it really a good idea to let Jinyoung hang around these guys?" He asked exasperated.

"Honestly, Jinyoung hyung can take care of himself." Yugyeom said simply, but the American didn't listen to him.

"Is that so? Well, last time-"

"Mark, we'll secretly look after him, okay? He's a good actor. He told them he's not one of us anymore. He'll make those jocks think that he's on their side now. They won't harm him." Jackson reasoned with his boyfriend.

"Okay, let me see if I understand everything that's going on here...Jinyoung hyung joined the soccer team to find out who is the drug dealer among them now. JB did that stupid thing on the roof to protect his friends. We have a porn video with 4 players of the team, while they have Mark's nudes and random texts." Yugyeom took a deep breath. "It seems to me that we need an adult on our side. If the counselor of the school already know about the video, maybe we should tell her about the shit they pulled on JB-"

"No! Don't even think about it, Gyeom. Dorine will only make things worse. Believe me, this is not a good idea. I know my mom, take my word for it." Mark assured his dongsaeng.

"So, we just wait for Jinyoung's mission to be successful?" Bambam furrowed his brows as he eyed each one of his friends.

"Exactly! And beware, Jinyoung might've to act like an asshole towards us in front of the others. But it's just for show, all right? Don't take it to the heart." Jackson warned them, hoping the group wouldn't be too shocked to see the young Lim return to his old bad behavior. 

"You also said you knew some other players intimately. Why aren't you helping Jin?" Mark accused his boyfriend as he glanced at the field and caught a glimpse of Jinyoung's fierce glare. The American had no idea that the younger was secretly watching them. While the group was sitting on those bleachers, all Jinyoung did was laugh, play with his 'old buddies' and ignore them. Yet, for a second, just a tiny second, Mark could swear that his eyes connected with the younger.

"I know the new captain. Yet, he's pretty decent. I'm sure he has nothing to do with it." Jackson commented calmly as he studied the team on the field. "The striker and the winger are okay too. I'm not sure about the others. Going after Tae is our best shot. He will tell Jin everything we want to know. The kid won't be able to resist his techniques." The Hongkonger didn't seem to care about the fact that his friend would have to seduce Taehyung in order to get the answers they wanted out of him. Mark abhorred his behavior.

"Eww!" Yugyeom looked disgusted. Bambam's grin was large, but Youngjae just seemed distant, as he simply kept watching the soccer practice.

"How much time do you think he'll need to accomplish his mission?" Bambam asked the group.

"I don't know. Maybe he already did." A pensive Jackson replied.

"I truly hope you are right." Mark muttered, just before the school bell rang, indicating that they should return to class.

While the 5 friends walked through the halls, they noticed a commotion ahead of them. The vice-principal was talking to the filming crew that was about to start filming inside one of the classrooms not far from Bambam and Yugyeom's.

"Oh, man! Today is the first day of that stupid variety program, right?" The maknae turned to his best friend and sighed.

"We should at least check the celebrity who's staying at our school." Bambam commented excitedly, as he walked ahead of the group and peeked inside the room.

"Is it a girl or a boy?" Jackson asked out of curiosity. Mark took a deep breath. Everything annoyed him that day, and all the time Jack said something, he felt like snapping at him.

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" Youngjae shook his head in disapproval, and only then, he noticed Mark's pissed expression.

"It's not like it matters to me anyways. I'm taken." The Hongkonger winked at him and gave his boyfriend his best Squirtle smile. The older couldn't help but undo his unfriendly look.

"Of course!" Mark said softly, as he observed Bambam's skeptical face when he turned to them after peeking inside the room.

“Who is it?” Youngjae asked.

“It’s that kid! The one whose YouTube covers went viral! He did a version cover of a 2NE1’s song. MBC invited him to Seoul to take part in _Birth of a Great Star 2_. He was placed in the Top 5 contestants. After that, he got an offer from a music company to start his idol career.” Bambam sounded like a fanboy.

“Birth of what? Geez, what kind of lame name is that?” Mark asked, without much interest. Jackson chuckled beside him.

“It’s like a Korean version of X Factor. You must’ve seen this one back in America, right?” Yugyeom tried to clarify things to the foreigner.

“I know it’s not even a bit original, that’s how much I know about it. Truth to be told, I basically don’t watch TV. It’s boring. I didn’t do it back at the US, and I don’t do it in here either. To be honest, I don’t get Korean entertainment industry. I think it’s too random. I mostly spend my free time playing games.” Mark said apathetically.

“Hey sweetheart, don’t lie to the kids. We both do other interesting things during your free time.” Jackson teased in his husky voice as he put an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulder and whispered something in Mandarin in his ear. Mark couldn’t help but blush. He was sure that if they weren’t in school, Jackson would be shoving his tongue down his throat now, or maybe other part of his body. He tried not to think of it, but the color on his cheeks and ears denounced him. With so much going on lately, they hadn’t been spending any time alone, and Mark could tell that Jackson missed that kind of intimacy. The American still didn’t know what to do about Jinyoung, and he wondered if he would be able to share a bed with the Hongkonger after what happened in that one-call room.

“Jackson hyung, tone it down, remember?” Yugyeom warned his hyung as soon as he observed one of Jackson’s hand land on Mark’s waist. Before the Hongkonger protested, a high-pitched sound was heard behind them.

“Oh, wait! I think I heard about the guy. I subscribed to his YouTube channel! He can play the piano so well! He has an amazing voice and he’s so handsome! Do you guys think he might give me an autograph after classes are over?!” Youngjae beamed, and suddenly Mark thanked whoever that celebrity was for making his dongsaeng smile again. He suddenly regretted his attitude on the bleachers minutes ago. He should’ve convinced himself already that Youngjae wouldn’t be capable to hurt a fly, much less his relationship with Jackson and Jinyoung. He felt the need to apologize to his dongsaeng at that moment.

“Look, Jae. I’m so-” Mark was cut off by their Thai friend, who started reading out loud some random information on his mobile.

“Nam Yoon-do, I can’t believe I forgot his name. Guess what, Mark! He’s Korean American. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s allergic to apples, his favorite color is red, when he was younger he was part of an orchestra, he also joined the Atlanta Boy Choir and got to tour Italy. It says here he sang at...Geez, how do we pronounce this?” Bambam asked as he scrolled down a fanpage of Nam on his cell. The shock was plastered all over the American’s face, he looked like he was about to have a stroke.

“At St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.” Mark finished for him, and swallowed. He was genuinely dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard his dongsaeng say. He inhaled, removed Jackson’s arms from his waist and tried to compose himself.

“Markie, are you okay?” The Hongkonger asked. Mark bit his lips, nodded to him, and ran a hand through his hair.

“I just remember that I have a test in the last period. I gotta go back to class. See you guys later.” Mark walked past his friends, waved at them and silently hurried to his class.

“How did he know that, I mean, that place in Rome? Perhaps he’s a fan too?” Youngjae asked puzzled, as he watched Mark disappear into the hall.

“Maybe he didn’t study for his test?” Youngjae suggested.

“I’ll talk to him later. Go back to your classrooms, kids. When classes are over we can check this Nam guy out, and perhaps get that autograph, right Jae?” Jackson said, as he playfully winked at his animated dongsaeng.

Mark went back to his classroom, but in the middle of Math class, he excused himself to go to the restroom. He tried to concentrate on the teacher’s explanation, but his nerves were taking the best of him. The American kept fidgeting on his seat and anxiously bouncing his leg. His heartbeats raced, he sweated all over, and he could already feel his chest tightening. When he started feeling nauseated, he knew he had to get out of there. He didn’t want to start panicking in front of his classmates. He didn’t need that kind of attention.

When he reached the restroom, he immediately washed his face and took deep breaths. Mark hoped he was just having a nightmare, after all, he didn’t think that such a coincidence was possible. He wondered when exactly his ex-boyfriend had become an idol. Mark had always been aware of his ex’s artistic aspirations, but he would’ve never imagine that Eric would become an idol so soon after he left the country. And how come Eric Nam was at Kirin High, filming a TV variety? Why the producers of that show had to choose that school?! His head was all over the place, when suddenly one of the doors of the stalls doors opened and another student came out of it. It was one of the four soccer players who were on the porn video. He was also the one who told Dorine about it. That morning was indeed full of surprises. The kid was genuinely startled to see him there.

“Are you okay?” the boy asked hesitantly, as he leaned on the wall next to the mirror. He didn’t dare to come too close to the American. But he couldn’t help but notice Mark’s pale and drawn expression.

“It’s Taehyung, right?” Mark demanded, as he turned to him.

“Yeah. I’m kinda flattered you know my name. You only asked Yoongi’s that night at the school office. By the way, I saw you and the others on the bleachers today. Missing Jinyoung already?” the boy’s mocking tone made Mark see red. Taehyung didn’t have time to react when the older pushed him up against the wall and pressed him there while holding him by the neck.

“Is he fucking you know?” an irritated Mark was doing the best to intimidate the kid, and he knew it was working when the other tried to desperately get his hands off him without much success.

“No! But he kinda wants you to think that we are!” the boy said quickly, his frightened eyes closed. Mark loosened the hold on the boy’s neck a bit.

“Why?” Mark whispered to him. He could almost imagine Jinyoung doing that kind of thing.

“He says you guys broke up and that he wants to make you jealous.” The boy’s words astonished the older. Mark felt like crying, but he was too mad to let that happen.

“Who left that pill for JB and made him go to that roof? Do not lie to me.” Mark warned, as he tightened the hold on the boy’s neck again.

“I already told Jinyoung it was probably my cousin who did it, okay?! It wasn’t supposed to happen. But Jimin noticed how I was depressed after being forced to jerk him off that night. So he told my cousin about the video, and although he’s a very nice guy, he obviously lost his temper and went that far. Seokjin is very protective of me.”

“So you were depressed? Poor baby.” Mark mocked him. “Are you insinuating that what you told my mom is true? That you’re suicidal because you think Jesus is gonna punish you for being a fag? That because of me you’re having nightmares? Come on, it’s not like you were a virgin or anything!”

“Maybe I lied about a couple of things. But I really felt like shit when I found out that my cousin had seen the video. I’ve always had feelings for him, though I’ve never told him about it. I was so ashamed that he saw me like that, doing those things to other guy! I was afraid he’d think I was a whore.” The boy said sadly.

“Maybe you are! I mean, you were Jinyoung and Jackson’s whore once upon a time, right?” Mark accused him, as he let jealousy overtake him.

“It takes one to know one.” Taehyung couldn’t say much more. Mark was already choking him for real.

“Is that so, you little slut? At least I’m not having wet dreams about my fucking cousin!” the American spat. The boy tried to say something, but Mark’s grip on his throat was too strong. “What is that? You can’t breathe? Let me help you out.” The American dragged the boy by the hair and pushed him inside one of the stalls, shoved the boy’s head inside a toilet vase and flushed it. When he thought the boy had had enough, he finally released him, letting the coughing boy catch his breath as he slid to the floor next to the toilet. The American simply straightened his uniform, and eyed himself in the mirror again. He didn’t feel bad about what he had just done. Jaebeom could’ve died if he slipped from that roof, so he thought that Taehyung had it easy. Mark was just hoping that the Seokjin guy would see the boy’s state and come looking for him. He was craving to confront Taehyung’s cousin now, and he wouldn’t go easy on him. As soon as he started walking straight to the door, the boy’s laugh filled his ears.

“It’s Jaebeom right? Or Jinyoung? Or perhaps both of them?” An almost out of breath Taehyung shouted at him, making him turn around.

“What about them? What’s so funny?!” Mark frowned at him when the other kept chuckling.

“You don’t have wet dreams about cousins, after all, stepbrothers are your kink, right? I guess we all have our unique tastes.” The boy pulled his damp hair back and winked at the older.

“What makes you think that Jaebeom and I-”

“Save it, Mark! Seokjin took a picture of you two passionately kissing in the schoolyard. Who’s the slut now, huh? I mean, you’re shagging Jackson and a pair of twins, who happens to be in your family! How wild is that?!” The boy said, with a smirk. Mark blinked a few times, he didn’t even try to explain their complicated situation to Taehyung, he just wanted to silence that kid once and for all.

“It seems you guys have more dirt on us than we have on you. Perhaps it’s time we change that. Let’s get creative.” Mark said in a threatening tone as he started approaching the frightened boy on the floor again. When the American was about to grab the boy by the hair, a voice interrupted them.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Little Rooster.” A familiar voice said in English, and Mark almost froze on the spot. His father used to call him like that, actually, everyone in his family used that nickname to tease him. But it always sounded too warm coming from that person’s mouth.

“Eric.” Mark said softly, still unable to move. He didn’t even turn around nor chased his captive when Taehyung got up from the floor in a hurry and ran away from the restroom.

“I missed hearing your voice calling my name.” Eric whispered to him. Mark closed his eyes tight when his ex came closer to where he stood, and gently back hugged him. The American could almost smell the unforgettable scent of home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What happens now that the one who got away came back? >_<


	30. Superman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Your past is always your past. Even if you forget it, it remembers you.” ~ Sarah Dessen

Mark remembered how Eric's reassuring arms offered him a soothing kind of feeling every time he would get into a fight back in LA. The rage inside him would slowly dissipate as soon as he felt the other’s touch. Eric was the only one able to put out his fire, no matter how much inflamed he was. Eric was like the onslaught of an icy breeze of winter that appeased Mark's scorching firestorms. Hardly anyone who collided with Mark’s fists was left unscathed, yet, when Mark’s fists was touched by Eric’s hands, all deflagration of injuries could be controlled. Whenever Mark couldn't control his anger, or whenever he was unable to stop beating his opponent into a pulp, Eric was always there to calm him down.

He had met Eric Nam through his brother. Joey befriended him first. Joey had once left a comment on Eric's YouTube channel complimenting him for his piano and cello skills. At that time, Eric still lived in Atlanta and Joey had never met him in person. Nevertheless, they quickly became online friends, since they both were huge fans of classical music. Joey and Mark only got to meet Eric in person, when he and his parents moved to LA. Since then, Eric was always in Joey's recitals and he eventually enrolled in the same school as the Tuan brothers. He was three years older than Mark, but they had something in common, they were victims of demanding parental expectations. Eric liked music, but his parents, especially his father, who happened to be South Korean, wanted him to put his dream aside and take over the family business in the future. He wanted Eric to excel academically and professionally, pursue money over passion. He wanted him to go to a prestigious university, obtain the most intellectual and competitive degrees, make money, marry, have children and fulfill an honorable role in society. Of course, that doing all that sounded tiresome for the teenager. Running his father's company was never in his plans, but it seemed that his future was already planned out for him, not by him. Mark could relate to that. Raymond also wanted Mark to take care of the family business once he retired. Since Mark was the eldest son, his mother and father expected from him to be the most conscientious child, more likely to mirror their beliefs and attitudes. Yet, the teenager had no interest in being a dutiful son like Joey, and since he was little, he never hid from his parents the fact that he had no intention of honoring their wishes. He didn't know what he wanted to be in the future, he had no occupation in mind, but he was sure about what he didn't want to do. Both Mark and Eric were born in America, but the fact that they had strict Asian parents in the land of the free, made them feel like they only had only half of that liberty in their everyday life.

Their similar struggles made them become friends quickly, and soon Eric started spending more time with Mark than with Joey. Eric was attracted to Mark's rebel side, but also his undying quietness. He would hardly tell his parents half of the things Mark shouted at his, and deep down, he admired that bluntness in him. Eric constantly hid his dissatisfaction from his family, he lived bottled up inside himself. However, Mark's defiant character rubbed off on him at some point. At school, Eric was the charismatic senior, who knew and talked to everybody. He was always invited to parties. During the first two months in his new school he mostly declined all the invitations he got, but when he started hanging out with Mark, he felt bolder than usual. And once he went to one of his classmates' party, he became addicted to the liberating feeling of doing something 'inappropriate' behind his parents' back. Drinking and kissing boys. 

On the other hand, the introverted Mark, who was hardly invited to any party, was convinced by Eric to accompany him to every single one of them. Eric made possible for Mark to get acquainted with other people, while Mark boosted Eric’s desire to just be the boy his parents knew nothing about. The lovely friendship soon became something else, and before Mark could register what was going on, he was the only boy Eric kept kissing. It was then, that friends became lovers. Eric was older and experienced, he had secretly been with guys before, but he had never really dated one. His parents didn’t know he was gay, but that didn’t mean that he stayed in the closet. He was also aware that Mark had zero experience in sex, and he was always a gentleman whenever their make out sessions became too heated and his boyfriend told him to slow down, or stop his advances.

Eric was the first to tell Mark that he loved him. Mark cried like a baby at the time, and kept asking him how he could love someone like him. Mark's low self-esteem often made him doubt Eric's words. But he eventually said it back, and from that moment on, he couldn't imagine his life without him anymore. Mark promised Eric that they would make love soon, but he couldn't tell how soon. Eric just reassured him that there was no need to rush anything. He said he would wait for Mark to be ready to take that next step in their relationship.

Joey Tuan seemed to know what was going on with the pair, but Mark only told his brother about their relationship when Eric officially asked him to be his boyfriend. Joey was happy for them, but he seemed to be the only one in the family that would root for the couple.

Dorine and Raymond obviously didn't like Eric when he was introduced to them. It wasn't only because Eric was a boy, or because he was older than Mark. Eric was friends with Joey, and that simple fact terrified them. They didn't want their golden boy to hang out with someone who had chosen Mark as a boyfriend. His parents believed that Joey shouldn't have, what they called, 'gay influence' in his life. 

The Tuans also thought that Eric's presence in Mark's life only made him more reckless than he already was. Fights at school and bad grades were common, but as soon as Mark started dating, things got worse. Alcohol became part of his routine. The teenager was barely sleeping at home those days, and when he did, he would return home totally wasted. Hangovers would either make him arrive too late for his classes or simply miss several days of school. 

Eric was a peacemaker kind of guy. He didn't approve his boyfriend's occasional violent streaks at school, or the way he started to abuse alcohol carelessly, but he didn't judge him much. Mark already had enough of that at home and he knew that if he tried to tell his boyfriend to do something he didn't want to, Mark would accuse him of trying to change him. Eric didn't want to be that guy. He didn't want to be one of the several people in his life who claimed that something wasn't right about him. Relatives, teachers, classmates, and even a couple of friends, who were also Eric's friends, often told Mark that he needed to get his act straight. Eric felt that if he tried to make his boyfriend listen to what everyone was saying about him, he would lose Mark, and he couldn't afford that. 

The Tuans barely knew Eric, they didn't even try to get to know him properly, yet, they just labeled him as a bad influence. They had no intention of hiding how much they despised the boy. Joey often tried to intermediate some of the arguments that took place every time Eric stopped by their house to pick up Mark for a date, yet, he couldn't do much about it.

No matter how much his parents complained, no matter how hard they opposed to that relationship, they were never able to convince Mark to let go of Eric. After the car accident, Eric mostly protected Mark from Dorine's wrath, and took him to his own place whenever the woman decided to take out her grief on her son. Eric was Mark's superman in a lot of occasions, besides saving him from his mom, and sometimes from himself, he never left his side after Joey and Raymond's death. 

Without Joey around, Eric felt like he had to be there for his boyfriend more than ever. Guilt and sorrow seemed to increase Mark's thirst for alcohol. Unlike Mark, Eric could handle his booze, and at some point he managed to remain sober more often, just to keep an eye on his boyfriend. At the end of every single party they went to, he was the one who called them a cab and made sure that Mark got inside his house safely.

When Dorine announced she would be getting a job in South Korea, Mark felt like he was losing all that was left of his family. No matter how bad she treated him, she was still his mother. And the fact that she was abandoning their house, and fleeing to another country in order to move on with her life, made him feel like he had to overcome another tragedy. He felt like his mother meant to discard of him. She even asked him if he wanted to come along, yet, she made very clear to the teenager that she would leave even if he said no. He knew his mother considered him a murderer, and that she would never forgive him. Staying with his aunt and keeping his home and boyfriend, sounded like the best choice at that time. Therefore, he stayed in The U.S.

As soon as Dorine took off, Eric, once more, felt pressured to look after Mark. He knew Mark's aunt wouldn't be able to handle him now that even his mother had given up on him. Therefore, he told Mark that he wanted to introduce him to his family as his boyfriend, but the parties and booze had to stop. It really didn't work at first, his boyfriend's grief was tremendous and alcohol was the only thing that could numb his pain. Eric decided that they needed a break from each other. Although Mark was heartbroken, he just angrily told him to disappear. However, after a week, Eric was at Mark's doorsteps again. Eric explained to Mark that he would be graduating soon, and that he could attend college in LA or in some other university overseas. It would only depend on Mark, whether he stayed in the city or not. He let his boyfriend decide it for him. So, Mark made an effort, started seeing a counselor at his school and got rid of what he called his 'best medicine for misery'. He chose Eric. 

Eventually, Eric finished high school and applied to a couple of universities his parents wanted to, including in Korea, but he got into UCLA. Since Mark was still in high school, they wouldn't be seeing each other as much as before, but they would at least be able to keep their relationship going, after all, Eric would still be in the city. Mark could live with that. At some point Eric did introduce his boyfriend to his parents. They already knew Mark, since he was Eric's friend before they started dating. The Nams were surprised to hear the news, but fortunately, they weren't against their relationship. According to Eric's mom, her son's happiness was above everything else in the world. On the other hand, instead of really accepting them, Eric's father would rather believe that his son was just going through a phase, and that soon he would find the right woman for him and marry her. He wouldn't voice his thoughts, but he didn't think the pair would last. He was polite to Mark, but he didn't give him much credit.

Unlike Eric’s father, Eric's mom would love Mark's visits to their house. She was unable to see her son as often as before, since besides college, he was already working part-time at his dad's firm. Soon Mark's presence turned out to be a great company for her. Whenever his classes ended at school, the teenager would stop by the Nam's house and go back to his at night. Mark thought that Mrs. Nam was the perfect mom, and he loved her homemade food. His aunt didn't mind his absence, and he didn't mind her negligence.

Eric was busy, Mark would get lonely sometimes, but whenever they saw each other, he felt that all the waiting was worthwhile.

Hardly he knew that after a year and a half, Dorine would find herself another family and practically force Mark to be a part of it. A flight ticket to South Korea changed the American's life forever. Suddenly, everything he still held dear, including Eric Nam, had to be left behind.

Mark promised his boyfriend that he would be in touch, that distance wouldn't tear them apart. He told Eric that he would do everything he could to make Dorine send him back home, and when she did, they would celebrate. Mark told him that as soon as he returned to The USA, they would finally have their first night together. He could already picture them making love on the sand of an LA beach under the stars. Eric promised to wait for him, and they said their goodbyes.

Then Mark left.

Skype was the couple's way of keeping connected. Even though there was no physical exchange between them, they fought to keep their relationship alive. Mark spent more time in front of his computer than socializing with his new family. He told Eric about them. He described to him the first impressions he had of each one of them. He told his boyfriend that Lim Taek-geun, his stepfather, was uptight, but okay. Since the man didn't nag him much, the teenager had nothing against him yet. Mark didn't need nor wanted a father, so he just avoided his mom’s husband. He also narrated to Eric how Dorine's behavior around the Lims was awkward, and how he was sure that she was still a 'controlling self-centered bitch.' The stepbrother was hot, and he couldn't imagine calling him 'brother'. But Mark didn't comment about that. That was perhaps the first fact he kept from his boyfriend. He just told Eric that the young Korean, called Lim Jaebeom, was trying too hard to befriend him, and for some reason, his perseverance annoyed him. Mark had no intention of making friends. He needed to leave that country, ASAP. 

After a couple of days, an upset Mark told Eric how obnoxious was his other stepbrother. According to Mark, Junior or Jinyoung, whatever they called him, did not live with the Lims, and clearly hated him for supposedly taking his place in the family. Mark did not tell Eric how he broke down after Jinyoung said terrible things to him in front of the whole school. He did not tell Eric that his stepbrother Jaebeom, or JB, had consoled him as he cried his eyes out in his bed. Mark did not tell his boyfriend that JB spontaneously kissed him on the mouth. Actually, Mark didn't think that JB's innocent peck was a big deal, and he didn't want to worry his boyfriend. At that point, he had already changed his opinion of JB. He thought that besides being an eye-candy, he was a very kind, mature, and probably in love with a certain Youngjae. Mark thought that befriending him wouldn't be so bad. He definitely wanted to get closer to him. Mark only had to put aside the fact that he was the son of the man his mother chose to replace her dead husband. Deep down, he understood the feelings of his other stepbrother Jinyoung.

After a month, life in Korea became more complicated than he expected. Because of a stupid party and an evil plan of his stepbrother Junior, Mark didn't know what to say next time he talked to Eric. According to his detestable stepbrother, Mark had talked to him at the party, the other apologized for mistreating him, they fell on a pool, got drunk and ended up fucking in one of the empty rooms of the house. The American just had to find enough courage to report that to his long distance boyfriend, the only boy he had ever loved. It was hard to believe that he had thrown away his soon-to-be first time with Eric. All the romantic details, all the expectation, the unforgettable memory they’d make, everything had gone to hell. Now, Mark had to be strong and pay for his own mistake. He should have never drunk at that party. He had promised Eric, 'no more booze'. He should've listened to JB, and stayed home. He should've never talked to Junior, or got into a bedroom with him. But he supposedly did, and Mark hated himself for being that weak.

The teenager decided to be honest about it. He wouldn’t tell Eric that he cheated on him with his stepbrother, but the fact that he had cheated needed to be discussed. Therefore, he skyped his boyfriend, told him what he believed that was true, broke his heart, and as a result, ended up being dumped by his first love, Eric Nam. His last connection to home was severed because of a lie. Jinyoung had done that.

But now, the couple was reunited again, inside one of Kirin High School's restroom. Eric had his arms around Mark, who struggled to believe that he was not dreaming. Mark never thought that he would lay eyes on him again, much less find himself locked in his embrace. At that point, he didn't know that such a thing could be possible. Eric hadn't forgiven him for his supposed infidelity before, what about now? Only later Mark found out that he hadn't cheated on him at all. But would Eric believe that? Did Mark even want him to? Would that make any difference now? A lot had happened after they broke up over Skype. Mark was not a virgin anymore, he had boyfriends, he had friends, he had a not so uptight friendly stepfather, Dorine sort of apologized for not being a real mom, he also had enemies in school, and he was fighting again, or simply beating the shit out of people. He also filmed students jerking each other off and blackmailed them. His nudes, which he believed, that were gone for good a long time ago, were circulating around some phones of the soccer team players, and recently, even his stepbrother Jaebeom made him remind himself of how death was certain and random. Mark was going crazy with so much drama, but he thought he could handle it. He felt like no matter how many lemons life gave him, he could make bitter, but also sweet lemonades. He was in love, so he was familiar with madness. Jinyoung had done that.

He didn't think much about America anymore. Actually, now he had no intention of going back there. Now he had no desire of being trapped by his old flame's arms. His ex’s gesture made him feel nostalgic and contemplative, but not happy, or fulfilled. Now Mark was experiencing a private kind of madness with someone else. There was neither booze nor endless parties going on. It started with rules being broken, promises of mind-blowing kisses, a lot of push and pull at first, and then, a constant feeling of belonging that never abandoned him. Jinyoung had done that too.

The back hug didn't last long. Mark didn't want to stay in that embrace one more minute. The fact that Taehyung had just teased him, hinting that something could possibly be happening between him and Jinyoung, just to make him jealous, made his mind focus on the present time again. Then he quickly disentangled himself from Eric and ran away from the restroom without looking back.

Mark returned to his class and hoped that no one noticed his agitation. Last period ended swiftly, and as soon as the bell rang, a nervous Mark dashed to the school gate in order to avoid meeting his ex again. He stood there for a while, waiting for his friends to leave their classrooms. However, the youngsters were taking too long to exit the school building. When Mark decided to go back and check their classrooms, they were all empty. Mark then asked a random student what had happened, and he learned that half of the school was at the auditorium, where the idol Eric Nam took some of his precious time to give autographs to the students of Kirin High School.

The American’s first thought was to leave them to their fanboying and go home. However, when he was about to get out of there, his cell phone started buzzing on his pocket. A text from Jackson instructed him to meet the group in the music room. Mark felt a shiver run down his spine. He didn’t like that room. In his opinion, it was probably the worst place to be in that whole building. But since he knew Eric was at the auditorium surrounded by his fans, and there was no way that they would cross paths, he went to meet his Hongkonger boyfriend and his friends.

As soon as he approached the hallway that led to the music room, he could hear the piano melody echoing from there. Mark stopped on his tracks. He was only able to move again when the musical notes ended. As soon as he entered the room, his eyes travelled to where the white piano was. Youngjae was sitting there, beside no one else than Eric Nam. They were smiling and Eric was complimenting the youngster for his skills. That singular scenario evoked so many unwanted past memories that he felt like running away from that place. He didn't want to see his ex there, mingling with his new friends, praising Youngjae like he used to praise Joey. Mark's eyes watered. He didn't want to think of his dead brother or his old life. He feared the outcome of that reunion, the collision of his past and present. He hated the fact that Eric knew too much about him, so much that he suddenly felt naked around him. However, he quickly hid his consternation when Jackson came up from behind him and gave him a back hug. The others were also there, Yugyeom, Bambam and, surprisingly, Jinyoung. He was leaning on the wall next to the door, and he seemed to have enjoyed Choi and Nam's show. Mark struggled to compose himself when their eyes met. He wondered if the break up story was just a strategy to get Taehyung talking, or if the young Lim really meant that.

"You made it, sweetheart! Jin convinced Nam to sneak out of the auditorium for a minute and come here to meet his biggest fan! Jae got the autograph he wanted and more! You should’ve seen their piano duet." The Hongkonger said excitedly before kissing his cheek. Mark swallowed hard when Youngjae and Eric abandoned the piano to approach them.

"So, is he the guy from the party you talked about? The one you got drunk with and then cheated on me?" A serious Eric asked in English, as he stared hard at Mark. The others looked confused, except a shocked Jackson, who could understand the idol pretty well. But Eric didn't know that.

"It's not him." A tense Mark replied quickly in English and sighed heavily. He waited for Jackson's reaction. The truth would come out, he wanted it or not.

"Are you close to this one? He seems excited to see you. You never told me about him. What makes he think that he can kiss you and grab you like this?" A frowning Eric asked again, still using his mother language. At this point, a curious Jinyoung was already beside the Hongkonger, hoping that the latter could translate what was being said. However, Jackson's expression was intriguing, and Jinyoung couldn't help but notice how he pursed his lips in irritation. It wasn't an easy task to make the outgoing Hongkonger angry, but Jinyoung could tell that whatever words were being exchanged right there, they were doing that to his friend. He could feel that Jackson was about to blow a fuse.

"Well, that's 'cause I can. Believe me, kissing and grabbing aren't the only things I'm allowed to do to him. Nice to meet you, Mark's ex. I heard one or two things about you. I'm Wang Jia Er, from Hong Kong, the current boyfriend. Now let's shift to Korean. It's rude to use a language that most people in a room cannot understand. Don't worry about any kind of scandal, we're among friends here." Jackson said nonchalantly, as one of his hands slid to Mark's waist and the other extended to Eric, in order to formally great him. The startled idol gazed at him for a second and seemed to consider what to say next. Bambam and Yugyeom started asking questions but none of them answered the maknaes. It didn't take long for Eric to quickly recover from the Hongkonger's straightforwardness and eagerly shake hands with him. Although Jackson didn't voice everything he wanted to say at that moment, that brief, but firm handshake spoke volumes.

"Wow! It's a pleasure to meet you too, new boyfriend. Mark always had good taste. He still has a thing for foreigners, I see. I used to imagine that he found attractive the fact that I am half Korean. He's into the exotic type, for sure." Eric's smile was replaced by a smirk as he glanced at his ex, and winked at him. Now he was talking in Korean, and the others were able to follow their conversation. However, they were too taken aback to comment on Eric's statement.

"I'm sorry, what?" A confused Jinyoung asked, as he turned to Nam. Mark felt more than uncomfortable now. He felt nauseated.

"He's Mark's ex, from America. He's the Eric guy who broke up with him over Skype after what happened at Yugyeom's party." Jackson clarified to his friend, who skillfully as always, acted like nothing phased him. Eric kept smiling, satisfied to see that Mark was surrounded by friends who could keep a secret like that.

"Oh my God! What the hell, Mark! Why didn't you tell us that Eric Fucking Nam was your ex? Can't believe you dated a celebrity!" A loud Bambam said excitedly, as he gave a playful punch on the shoulder of his American friend. Mark only rolled his eyes at him.

"That's a freaking coincidence. I mean, did you know he was coming to our school? Is he here because of you?" Yugyeom questioned, eyeing his hyung in disbelief. Youngjae looked flabbergasted.

"Listen, I didn't know who was the celebrity in our school till Bam mentioned his name earlier. Eric and I didn't keep in touch after the break up. He's obviously here because of work. It has nothing to do with me." Mark said quickly, before any of his friends or boyfriends jumped to conclusions. If Jackson tightened his hold on his waist a bit more, he would definitely leave a bruise there.

"Was it a friendly break up?" An appalled Youngjae asked. 

"You were still in Mokpo at the time, but I already told you what happened at Yugyeom's party, remember? Do you really think they would remain friends after that?" Jinyoung chimed in, his voice was stable and his expression unreadable. Mark refused to look him in the eye.

"But nothing really happened." Youngjae muttered to himself. The idol beside him heard the boy loud and clear.

"Oh, I didn't know that." Eric frowned at that information.

"Are we going home, or what?" Mark asked the Hongkonger, as he bit his lower lip, obviously nervous with the situation. Jackson nodded, as if he could sense his boyfriend's discomfort. Before the pair could walk out of the room, Eric motioned to take Mark's hands. However, his gesture was interrupted by someone else's hand.

"Excuse my rudeness. Before I brought you to this room, I simply introduced myself to you as the principal’s son, Park Lim Jinyoung. I forgot to add that I’m Mark’s hostile stepbrother." Jinyoung announced, as he grabbed Eric's hand with both his hands and unwillingly shook it. He even bowed slightly to him. The idol smiled knowingly and returned the bow. Mark and his Hongkonger boyfriend just observed the interaction. Jackson's eyes travelled to Jinyoung to Nam. He was sure his friend was as upset him. They both felt threatened by Eric's arrival.

"Oh, I knew you were one of the stepbrothers the moment you told me you were the principal's son. I assumed you knew who I was when you managed to sneak me out of the auditorium. Mark told me about you. How could I forget Junior, the evil stepbrother." Eric declared, when the Korean finally released his hand.

"That's definitely me." A smiling Jinyoung swallowed, yet still managed to keep his feelings in check.

"Where's the other one? The warm and nice stepbrother?" Eric asked curiously. A silence fell, and a long minute passed before one of them decided to answer the idol.

"He's not in school right now. He's not feeling well." Youngjae replied, in a discouraging tone.

"I'm sure you'll have a chance to meet him soon. I mean, you're gonna be here the whole week filming the variety show, right? Since you already know Mark, maybe we could all hang out!" Bambam suggested enthusiastically, unable to read the situation and realize how absurd his suggestion sounded.

"Sure! Despite what happened between Mark and I, I have no hard feelings about the past. We both moved on with our lives and I'm happy to see him socializing with people in a healthy way. I'm really happy for you, Little Rooster." Eric's smile, the nickname, and that whole situation made a conflicted Mark sigh in despair. Jinyoung grunted awkwardly, but didn't say anything.

"It's time to leave. You should go back to your fans at the auditorium. Take care, man." Jackson stated coldly and started dragging an uneasy Mark to the door. But Eric's next words stopped them.

"Wait! There's a party at my house tonight at 11PM. I'll be celebrating the release of my first album. I'm not sure if you guys have time, and I know tomorrow is a school day, but you're all invited. Mark's friends are my friends. It's always been like this. You're are welcome to join us." Eric said quickly as he took out of his pockets some invitation cards and handed them to an agape Bambam.

"I'm not sure we can make it." Yugyeom commented as he raised an eyebrow at his Thai friend. Youngjae looked like he was about to say yes, but Jinyoung glared at him. Jackson ran a hand through his hair in annoyance. The idol simply seemed anxious to hear his ex’s reply.

"It would mean a lot to me if you were there, Mark. Only you and Joey knew how I struggled to get where I am now. Besides, it's not like you to say no to a party." Eric gave Mark an intense look.

"I'll think about it, Ricky." Mark answered, looking away. The nickname unconsciously rolled out of his mouth. The idol smiled at that. Jackson couldn't take it anymore. He simply took his boyfriend's hand and started leading him to the door.

"We're busy with homework and stuff. Thanks for the invitation, but we gotta get going now." The Hongkonger commented as they reached the exit. He was unable to cope with Mark's reticence. He hurriedly opened the door and pulled him to the hallway. Eric quietly watched the pair leave.

"Do you need me to accompany you back to the auditorium?" Jinyoung offered politely as he fixed his eyes on Nam.

"Oh, that's not necessary. I can find my way back. Anyways, stop by the party if you guys finish your homework early." Eric said, as he turned to the maknaes. 

"I'll be there, hyung." Bambam announced with a huge smile on his lips. Yugyeom eyed him in disapproval.

"Not sure if I can go there, but if I don’t, we'll see each other tomorrow, right? After you finish filming?" Youngjae sounded anxious to meet the idol again.

"I'll be here kid." Eric smiled gently. Yugyeom, Youngjae and Bambam bowed slightly at him and left the room too. Jinyoung was the only one who remained in there with the idol. He crossed his arms and glared at Eric as soon as they found themselves alone.

"What are your intentions with him?" He went straight to the point.

"Choi is a kid." Eric frowned at the young Lim.

"Wrong guy. I mean, Mark Tuan." Jinyoung clarified.

"I have no intentions at all. What about you?" Eric gave him a challenging look.

"What?!" The younger feigned ignorance.

"I see you're still in denial. Sorry about that. I gotta go back to my fans. See you around Park Jinyoung." The idol stated, as he walked out of the room, leaving a livid Jinyoung behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's ready for another infamous party?:)


	31. Boom x3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you weren't ready for this...

When Mark left school with Jackson after the episode in the music room, his boyfriend hammered him with questions and accusations. Jackson refused to understand why Mark didn't decline Eric's invitation and he hardly believed the fact that Mark didn't know what Nam was doing at Kirin High. They ended up having an ugly argument when suddenly the topic of the missing bracelet came up. Mark told Jackson he had lost it and that he was sorry, but the Hongkonger was too ruffled to accept his vague excuses. Their fight became even more heated the moment Jinyoung's confession was brought up. Jackson questioned his boyfriend about his feelings for the young Lim, but without giving his boyfriend a proper answer, an agitated Mark just stormed out of the Hongkonger's house and went home. He had never seen Jackson so confrontational and he thought that it would be better to give him some time to cool off. The American wasn’t ready for that kind of conversation.

He tried calling Jinyoung, but as expected, he didn't pick up his call. He thought of stopping by the Park's mansion, but he didn't know how he would be received there. Therefore, he just stayed put at the Lim's residence. A few hours later, he received a text from his Korean boyfriend with and address attached to it and a sentence that simply said, ‘ _meet me at your dear Ricky's party.’_

Mark wondered if Jinyoung was messing with him. He had no desire of going to Eric's party. He already felt like shit after the argument with Jackson and he hated himself for walking out on him before patching things up with him. He knew he needed to tell Jackson what happened between him and Jinyoung at a certain on-call room the day Jaebeom was taken to the hospital, but he couldn't do it. Mark felt something similar before. He felt like a motherfucking cheater right after Jinyoung had told him what had supposedly happened at Yugyeom's party. Now he felt worse. On this occasion, he wasn’t unsure if he had cheated on his long distance boyfriend. Now he indeed betrayed a boyfriend, and this time, he was neither drunk nor drugged. A rule was broken, confessions were made, and Jinyoung demanded exclusivity. How could he explain that to the Hongkonger without losing him forever? He did love Jackson, but he couldn’t put into words what he felt for Jinyoung. It was madness, and the word love wasn’t able to comprehend the magnetic connection between them anymore. The American did not intend to ruin the friendship Jinyoung and Jackson had. And he still didn’t know what to do about Jaebeom. Got7 could be hurt. He needed time to think and make things right, but life wasn’t giving him a single break.

Mark was aware that Jackson deserved the truth. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to be as blunt as he was when he told JB about his affair with Jinyoung. His radical attitudes often had unexpected consequences. And to discuss the dissolution of the throuple arrangement now that Eric was around could be quite disastrous. The American felt that in order to protect his relationship with Jinyoung and Jackson, he needed to find his ex first, and tell him to ignore his existence at school. Mark wanted his past to stay buried in the past. His present was already too problematic. He wished that Eric could understand his position and simply refrain from interfering with his new life. He had to say that to his face as soon as possible. Even if Jinyoung's text was just some sort of dare or a test, Mark decided to go to the party, find Eric and tell him what needed to be said. He didn't want to talk to him at school, because it would be impossible to approach Nam at Kirin High without drawing people’s attention to them. Moreover, he wouldn't want to dispute the idol’s attention with a bunch of avid schoolgirls in seek of pics and autographs. He imagined that this party, would be the best opportunity to get him alone. Mark intended to keep his distance once they had that little chat, and he wanted Eric to do the same. He didn't want to have problems with his boyfriends because of him. Therefore, he was going to ask Eric to stay away from Got7.

The party was loud, and wild like any other full of young people. But it wasn't like the one at Yugyeom's house. It was more like American style. It was a theme party. A Rave and foam party to be more precise. Eric had narrated to his boyfriend once what a college party was like, and how he tried to avoid them the best he could while he attended UCLA. Now it seemed that Eric had embraced what he used to deny. This party looked exactly like that kind of party. When Mark arrived at his destination, there were already intoxicated people stumbling their way back home. The ones who were still standing, didn't seem to be in their right state of mind. A huge crowd was still dancing feverishly to the sound of some sort of techno music. The seizure-inducing flashing lights and the abundance of effects such as strobe lighting, and fog, gave a sort of psychedelic atmosphere to the event. The neon and black light activated paints on the floor and walls, mixed with the colored foam covering the crowd, turned the whole scenario into a mayhem of exaggerated distractions.

Mark obviously felt out of place. He had sneaked out of his room without no one noticing and got into a cab. It was already 2AM when he arrived there. He was expecting to show up at the end of the party to have a private chat with his ex. Yet, by the looks of it, the festivity was far from being concluded. When Mark wandered further into the place, he was surprised to see Youngjae, Bambam and Yugyeom there too. They weren't outside in the area where the rave was taking place, they were in a quieter spot, inside the huge house, away from the crowd.

"What the fuck are you guys doing here at this hour?" The American asked, as he approached the trio. They didn't look surprised to see him there. They were sitting on a couch on the floor next to each other, as if they were waiting there for a while.

"We also received Jinyoung hyung's text. We are all supposed to be here. He said it was important. He's bringing news about the guy who gave the drug to Jaebeom." Yugyeom said before yawning. Mark was puzzled.

"I know what you're wondering hyung. Why here and why now, right? I guess we'll have to wait and see." Bambam commented, looking as tired as his best friend. The American wondered how long they were there waiting for Jinyoung. Then he started to imagine that maybe, that text came from someone else. He asked himself if Taehyung’s cousin was already plotting something against him. But he didn’t have time to think about those soccer players now.

"Have you guys seen Eric?"

"He greeted us earlier, then he said he had to say hi to some people. He asked about you though. He seemed disappointed not to see you with us." Youngjae commented, raising an eyebrow at the American.

"Man, I like parties. But the amount of drugs and alcohol fueling that crowd out there is not something I was ready to face had-on." Bambam admitted, a bit overwhelmed.

"You didn't take anything, did you?" Mark asked alarmed. After what happened with him at the last party he attended, he promised himself to be more cautious in social gatherings like that.

"Don't worry, hyung. I dragged him out of that wilderness outside before things got too out of hand." Yugyeom assured him.

Relief washed over the American, but that sensation didn't last long when he noticed Jinyoung walking in their direction with some members of the soccer team behind him. He could recognize Yoongi, Taehyung, Jimin, Jungkook and another one he couldn’t remember the name.

"Mark, I'm glad you could come. We heard about the altercation between you and Tae in the school restroom. His cousin Seokjin would like to have a word with you." Jinyoung said in a cold tone and with disdain in his eyes. The others looked tense to watch the young Lim acting like that, but they remembered that Jackson warned them about that. Jinyoung would be playing his bad boy role for a while, till he got what he wanted from those players.

"Is he looking for a beating too?" Mark asked caustically. He wasn’t in a good mood and he had to find Eric. The smirk on Taehyung's lips bothered him to no end.

"I want you to stay away from my cousin. We don't want trouble with you. What Yoongi did was not right and neither our new captain nor me condone his shameful behavior. Because of his stupid intent to avenge Zico and Mino, that disgraceful video was made. I understand why you did it. But this has to stop now. I can assure you that since then, no one on the team has tried to provoke your group in any way." Seokjin declared, and for the first time, Mark thought that someone in that team sounded reasonable. But still, something was not right.

"Taehyung said it was you who told JB to go to that roof-"

"He is wrong! I wouldn't do something like that, not even for my teammates. But I must warn you, if you lay a hand on my cousin again-"

"I want the name of the person who did it! You guys had the pictures and the texts. This blackmailer must be connected to you guys!" Mark spat in a menacing tone as he came dangerously close to Seokjin.

"We are not the only ones who were close to Zico or Mino. Our former captain had a girlfriend, and she was not happy with his arrest either. That's all I'm gonna say to you, Tuan." Seokjin said firmly.

"I want a name!" Mark yelled this time, and Jinyoung had to put himself between him and Seokjin before the American lunged at the older student.

"Amber Liu." Jinyoung stared hard at Mark as he put a firm hand on his chest. He had seen the American use his fists to get what he wanted before and he didn't want to see it happen again. "That's the name. I know her, I'll handle it. Now take it easy."

"Are you gonna beat up a girl, Tuan? Or perhaps make her masturbate herself in front of a camera?" A disgusted Yoongi asked beside Seokjin. The American didn't answer that, he just narrowed his eyes at him.

"He won't. But why did you send her the nudes and the texts anyways? As far as I know, no one was supposed to see those, right?” An upset Youngjae asked abruptly.

"It's not our fault! She slept with Yoongi and accidentally found the stuff on his phone." The maknae of the soccer team revealed, earning gasps from his hyungs.

"Shut the fuck up, Kookie." Jimin gave the boy a light punch on his arm. Seokjin sighed in frustration and turned to Jinyoung.

"I think it's time to go now. I trust you to convince him to do the right thing. And while you're at it, teach him some manners. I'm older than him, he should be more respectful. Also remind your foreign stepbrother that South Koreans don't treat their women the same way American treat theirs." Seokjin patted Jinyoung's shoulder and turned around to leave.

"Of course you don't. Americans don't overly infantilize their women and expect them to behave like vulnerable weak beings just to please their men. Honestly, the disturbing amount of _aegyo_ in this country is not our style." Mark stated boldly. Seokjin turned around again and squinted his eyes at the American.

“Amber is a friend and no one wants to see her get hurt.” Seokjin insisted.

"No one will touch Amber, you have my word." Jinyoung said quickly.

"That's right! If you guys put that bitch of yours on a leash, no one will get hurt." Mark said harshly. Jinyoung eyed him in disbelief. Youngjae and Bambam were agape.

"Hyung." Yugyeom whispered and put a hand on his arm, indicating that Mark was crossing a line there. Yoongi was about to say something when another voice interrupted the group.

"Oh, my gosh! Kirin High’s students all finished their homework earlier and finally made it! Look who I found back there!" Eric announced joyfully as he gently pulled an excited Jackson to Mark's side. It took a long minute for Mark to register their presence there and stop glaring at Seokjin. The idol had seen that fiery look in his ex's eyes before, and he knew a fight was going to take place soon if Mark kept clenching his fingers into his palms the way he was doing at that moment. That was never a good sign.

"We couldn’t miss this opportunity. Thanks for inviting us. This party is something I had never seen before. I'm glad I decided to stop by!" Bambam said awkwardly as he tried to lighten up the mood of the group. He took a strong hold on Jackson’s arm before the Hongkonger stumbled on the floor. “Thanks for bringing our friend to us.” Bambam added. The American inhaled, as examined the Hongkonger’s state with a bit of concern.

"I'll take my leave now. You've been warned." Seokjin told Mark quickly. Then bowed to Nam and walked away from the group with his other three comrades behind him. Jungkook called out for Taehyung, but the younger told him that he would stay a bit more with Jinyoung. Seokjin frowned at that, but still left the party with the others.

“Why the hell are you still here? It’s not like you’ve been invited.” Mark snapped at Taehyung.

“I want to spend more time with Jinyoung hyung. Why do you care?” The player said with a trace of malice in his voice.

"You know what? I'm tired of the foam and the techno out there. Let's play a game! Who's up for some indoor entertainment?" Eric suggested, ignoring Jinyoung's glare and Mark's unsettledness. Bambam repeatedly asked Jackson if he was drunk, but the Hongkonger only laughed at him. When Mark went to put an arm around his shoulder in order to keep him on his feet, he just pushed him away and leaned on Bambam. Everybody could tell that he was on something.

“Shouldn’t we take Jack home?” The Thai boy’s eyes travelled from Jinyoung to Mark.

“Wang is fine. He’s used to party all night long. Stop babying him.” Jinyoung assured his dongsaeng in an indifferent tone. The younger wondered if his hyung was acting like that just because of Taehyung’s presence or if there was some private unresolved matter between the throuple. The way Jackson focused all his attention on Bambam and practically pretended that Mark wasn’t there, was new for him. He knew his friends were probably thinking the same, but didn’t comment on that.

“Hey, I’m feeling like a G6. Just forget all your worries, Bammie. Let’s party like there's no tomorrow.” Jackson squealed as he kissed the boy’s cheek.

"You know what? I am definitely up for it! God knows we need to chill a bit after so much tension!" Youngjae said, a bit relieved to see that Taehyung was the only soccer player around now. He considered him harmless, like most people.

"What are we playing? Truth or dare?" Yugyeom suggested casually.

"What about something less daring? Any of you heard of seven in heaven?" Eric said as he led Got6 and Taehyung to a more secluded room. Mark didn’t like the way Jackson was acting and he knew he needed to get him out of there.

"Eric, I don't have time for this. I need to talk to you. Now!" Mark said in annoyance. He was definitely not in the playing mood. Jinyoung's eyes travelled to him briefly and then fixed upon Jackson. The Hongkonger was leaning on Bambam and whispering things on his ear. Jinyoung knew then he was flirting. And he also could tell that something must've happened between Mark and the Hongkonger.

"We have all the time in the world, Little Rooster. Just sit here with us, play one round and then we can talk. What do you say?" Eric suggested in a tender tone.

"I am not playing." Mark stated firmly.

"Is there room for one more?" A voice startled Mark from behind. Everyone was flabbergasted to see Jaebeom there. All the distress immediately left Mark's face. It was replaced by shock.

"How come you are here?" Youngjae was the first to speak, but at the same time, unable to walk in his direction. All he wanted to do was to wrap his arms around him and never let go. Yet, he hadn’t forgotten what JB had proposed to him at the hospital.

"I was discharged this evening."

"I didn't see you at the house." Mark managed to say.

"I spent some time out with dad and Dorine. We didn't see the time pass, then I returned to the mansion." JB said simply and smiled at him. His serene look appeased Mark's heartbeats. When The American noticed that his stepfather and his mother weren't home earlier, he had just assumed they were at the hospital accompanying JB. He would never imagine that they were out with him.

"How did you know about the party? How come they let you show up here?" Yugyeom asked.

"Jin texted me and told me about it. I provided Dad and stepmom some cheap excuse for not going back home yet. Dad thinks I'm spending the night at the mansion with my brother. Poor Mr. Lim wanted me home, probably fearing that I might find some other roof to jump from, but I told him to trust me. I told him that I had finally found clarity." JB announced, as he glanced at a quiet Jinyoung.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jackson looked confused. Jaebeom's presence seemed to instill some sort of sobriety in the foreigner.

"What the hell Jinyoung! Why didn't you tell us he was discharged?" Youngjae complained, but Jinyoung remained silent.

"I'm Eric Nam, an old friend of Mark from America. Glad to finally make your acquaintance." The idol approached him and introduced himself. Jaebeom bowed to him slightly.

"Lim Jaebeom. Nice to meet you. Mark mentioned you a couple of times, and as far as I know, you two were more than friends. But don’t worry, he only said nice things about you before the break up.” JB smiled politely and continued. “By the way, I saw you at the hospital. Talking to Dorine." Nam looked away a bit uncomfortable. Mark frowned.

"You and my mom? You’re meeting up with Dorine behind my back? What the fuck?!" Mark turned to Eric now, obviously confused.

“We’ll talk about this later, okay? Let’s play.” Nam replied shortly. His ex wouldn’t accept that kind of response, but before Mark could protest, Jinyoung’s loud voice filled the room.

“Brother, we are playing a game. Come join us.” Jinyoung chimed in as he motioned to Jaebeom to come closer the group. Youngjae furrowed his brows. The twins were acting quite strange. He expected them to be at war after the whole emotional blackmailing episode at the hospital, but they were strangely acting like nothing had happened. On the other hand, Bambam, Yugyeom, Mark and Jackson simply found uncanny the fact that the virtuous JB was okay with the throuple thing. After all, he had almost killed Jackson in the cafeteria when he learned about Mark’s first time with the Hongkonger. Something was definitely not right in the way he excitedly sat beside his twin, and acted like everything was the same as before when he had no idea that Markjinson was real.

“JB, do you think this is wise?” Mark asked in a reproving tone.

“That’s exactly what I need. That hospital bored me to death.” Jaebeom gave Mark an unreadable look. 

“I cannot say no to my guests.” Eric announced. A speechless Mark watched the idol go in the kitchen and bring a bottle of vodka, one of orange juice, one of Coke and one of Gatorade. He instructed his guests to sit in a circle and get comfortable on the expensive rug that covered the floor of his living room.

“Are you seriously getting them drunk? They’re fucking kids! What the fuck?” A scandalized Mark asked Eric, as he sat beside him on the floor. Since everyone was staying, he forced himself to go along with the crowd.

“Wow, look at you! All responsible and shit. Come on, you were once their age too, and you didn’t give a shit. Don’t be a party pooper Yi-en. By the way, don’t you see that? There are non-alcoholic beverages here too.” His ex winked at him as he pointed to the bottles he put on the center of the circle. “Live a little, man. What was your life motto again? Memento mori, right? I haven’t forgotten that.” Eric smiled at him. Mark didn’t smile back and remained silent.

“Memento what? What’s that?” Yugyeom asked curiously.

“This is a heavy subject. Let’s leave this talk for another day. So are you guys ready?” Eric asked, quickly changing the subject.

“May I suggest _Never Have I Ever_? I mean, I’ve seen this game in American movies before. People have a chance to know more about each other. It’s quite revealing.” Jinyoung suggested with a trace of malice in his voice. Mark swallowed hard. He could foresee what the Korean intended to do. But he didn’t dare to leave the circle. He didn’t know what the young Lim would tell Jackson, or the others if he just decided to leave by himself.

“All right. For those who are not familiar with the game, let me explain it properly. Someone in the circle is supposed to say something that they have never done. Those who at some point in their lives have done the action that the first player says, must take a shot. By the way, kids, I’m not an hypocrite. I’m not gonna tell you not to drink, but there are soft drinks available for those who can’t handle their booze, okay? Any doubts?” The idol asked the group, and everybody agreed to him. Jinyoung’s smirk grew large.

“People can actually lie and not take the drinks, right? How can we be sure that someone who takes the shot is being truthful?” Youngjae looked confused.

“Trust me, Jae-ah, truth tends to come out in a way or another.” Eric assured the youngster. Jaebeom frowned at the way Eric friendly regarded Youngjae.

“I’d like to start, if you guys don’t mind.” Jinyoung announced.

“Okay.” Eric replied. Mark braced himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a double update today...Chapter 32 will be out in a few minutes everybody!^^


	32. Now or Never

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let the games begin...XD

“Never have I ever had my dick sucked by twins.” Jinyoung claimed and eyed Mark with absolute satisfaction. Everybody in that circle, except for Eric, knew that he had to take the shot. They all waited for it. Taehyung giggled. The American looked like a deer in the spotlight. However, it was Jackson’s husky voice that suddenly caught everyone’s attention.

“Cheers, Yi-En!” Jackson exclaimed beside Bambam as he took a sip of the Coke and offered it to Mark. They were sitting across from each other, and all Mark had to do was lean forward and grab the Coke from his hand. He felt thankful for the Hongkonger’s support. Even when he was out of it and clearly still mad at him, Jackson managed to save his boyfriend from the worst situations.

“Cheers, Jia Er.” Mark replied thankfully, as he took a sip of the Coke. Somewhat he felt relieved for not being the only one who, at some point, got into the Lim brothers' pants. He exchanged a meaningful look with the Hongkonger. Jinyoung pursed his lips. Eric looked shook. Jaebeom dropped his eyes on the floor.

“Wow, you live and you learn, right, Markie? You guys must have quite an entertaining relationship.” the idol was flabbergasted. He wondered if Mark and his boyfriend were serviced by the mentioned twins at the same time. He had no idea the Lim twins were the ones responsible for the blowjobs, but he assumed that Jackson had definitely found ways to spice up their sex life.

“What about the details?” Bam said as he read something on his cellphone. “According Wikipedia, you must give a detailed account of why you took the shot.”

“That’s a variation of the game. We don’t need to do that.” Mark stated. Bam looked boomed. It was Jaebeom’s turn now, since he was beside his brother.

“Never have I ever tried to kill myself.” Jaebeom said out loud. Got7 looked relieved to hear that. But Eric Nam took a shot. Mark eyed him in disbelief.

“Eric? Why?” Mark sounded concerned. The others were obviously taken aback.

“No details, right? You just said so.” Nam reminded him, and motioned to Yugyeom, who was next to Jaebeom, to continue.

“Never have I ever had feelings for a guy.” The maknae declared and everyone in the circle took the shots.

“It’s never too late, Yuggie.” Bambam commented in a playful voice and everybody laughed. Except for Mark, who still couldn’t believe that Nam took the previous shot. But now it was Taehyung’s turn, and the boy couldn’t help but grin.

“Never have I ever slept with someone in my family.” He said proudly and slowly pushed the bottle of vodka in Mark’s direction. Silence fell. Mark knew that was coming. He grabbed the bottle and just took a sip of it. He glanced at a frowning Eric briefly. The idol seemed to have many questions on his mind at that moment, but he refrained from voicing his doubts.

“Never have I ever jerked off a guy in front of a camera.” Bambam’s comeback made the circle gasp. Every single member of Got7 was proud of him at that moment. Mark felt somehow avenged when a pissed off Taehyung was the only one taking the shot. Jackson high-fived the Thai boy and started to formulate his claim.

“Never have I ever said I love you without really meaning it.” Jackson smiled sadly. Mark blinked a few times as he stared guiltily at the Hongkonger. The American didn’t take the shot. He told himself that he loved him, and that he never lied to him about that. Bambam, Eric, Yugyeom, Jinyoung, and Taehyung took the shot.

“Eric, what the fuck?” Mark questioned him, but what really bothered Mark was that Jinyoung had taken the shot too.

“Markie, I have loads of fans! Do you know what it means to say that 24/7 to people you don’t even know? My heart is not that big you know? But I have to pretend it is.” Eric said playfully and most participants of the game started laughing. Got7 seemed to be really enjoying that game, except for Taehyung and Jinyoung.

“Never have I ever fallen out of love with my first love.” Youngjae claimed, as he eyed JB intensely. Jinyoung slowly pushed the bottle of vodka in Jaebeom’s direction. His brother frowned at him and seemed to consider what to do. Jinyoung took a sip of the Coke, Jackson took the Gatorade. Since Jaebeom hesitated for too long, Eric crawled in his direction and took the shot. The whole circle eyed the idol in surprise. Mark blushed.

“I guess now we know why you are at Kirin High.” Jinyoung said in a tone not so friendly as he turned to the idol, who simply looked away. Jackson seemed sober than ever now, and Jaebeom looked pensive. Youngjae’s expression was pitiful.

“So you really moved on, huh?” Youngjae’s eyes watered as he gazed at a quiet Jaebeom.

“Come on, hyung. Just play the game properly and take the fucking sip.” An impatient Jinyoung stared hard at his twin.

“I think that no one better than him should decide if he should take the shot or not.” Yugyeom suggested cautiously.

“In my opinion, he should drink, but he doesn’t want to.” Bambam shook his head at JB disapprovingly.

“Hey, guys, he doesn’t have to if-” Eric started, but he was cut off.

“Who the fuck asked you to open your mouth?! Just give the guy some time okay?!” Jackson raised his voice at the idol. Silence fell. And before the situation got out of hand, Mark decided to keep the game going.

“Never have I ever come to terms with the death of a loved one.” Mark said abruptly and all the eyes in the room fixed on him. Eric, who was beside him, held his hand gently. Mark allowed the contact, and for some reason he felt like breaking down in tears. Only then, he had realized the weight of his own words. Eric’s fingers soothed his old grief a bit. It felt so right to hold his hand at that moment, he almost forgot his boyfriends were watching the whole scene in consternation.

“Never have I ever found a friendship that could surpass ours.” The idol said as he hugged a crying Mark in his arms. Mark hugged him back. The circle was speechless. Jackson huffed. Jinyoung clenched his jaw and stood up. Jaebeom gripped the sleeve of his shirt to stop him from leaving.

“Who’s up for _Russian Roulette_? This _Never Have I Ever_ thing has tired my brother out.” Jaebeom announced a bit nervously, and Youngjae quickly agreed with him.

“Oh, I couldn’t agree more. I think I definitely need a shot of vodka right now.” A distressed Youngjae declared. Jaebeom looked concerned for a slight minute.

“I’m gonna get the glasses.” Eric slowly disentangled himself from Mark and hurried to the kitchen.

“Oh, I actually know how this one works. We fill everyone’s glasses with water, except for one glass, that will be filled with vodka. Then we shuffle the glasses, and each participant of the game has to pick one glass randomly and shove it down their throats. The person who picks the vodka, gotta perform a dare!” Bambam said excitedly and Yugyeom clapped his hands like a little kid. At least the maknaes seemed to be having fun.

Jinyoung, on the other hand, successfully brushed Jaebeom’s hands away and went to the kitchen, claiming he was going to help Eric find the glasses. Mark was apprehensive, but he knew that if he decided to follow his Korean boyfriend, Jinyoung would definitely blow up at him.

“Why the hell are you letting him touch you, hug you and stuff? Have you lost your mind?” Jackson looked extremely offended while he complained at his boyfriend. “I just didn’t rough him up yet because this is his house. Please, Mark, have mercy. I’m trying hard not to be jealous here, but you’re not helping!”

“I didn’t mean to upset you. It was just a friendly gesture, nothing more than that. I’m sorry, okay?” Mark had just realized what he had done. Jackson wasn’t the only one mad.

“Mark, you do realize this is not gonna end well, right?” Jaebeom shook his head in disapproval when he overheard Mark’s ex and current boyfriend talking in the kitchen. Actually, everyone in the living room could hear them once both voices started to rise.

_“You are aware that he has a boyfriend, why are you shamelessly hitting on him?”_

_“I’m not! Before Mark and I dated, we were friends, and I hope we can rekindle that friendship, that’s all!”_

_“You took the shot! Don’t be ridiculous! You still have feeling for him and you just admitted it.”_

_“Mark wasn’t my first love. Will you please chill, kid?! What are you so afraid of?”_

_“I am not afraid of anything.”_

_“Then why are you so angry.”_

_“Jackson is my friend!”_

_“And your rival, isn’t that right? Wait, that twin thing mentioned in the game-”_

_“You don’t know shit!”_

_“Jesus Christ! Dorine couldn’t be more wrong. You are the stepbrother Mark is in love with, right? The one he claimed he would ran away together if anyone tried to interfere.”_

Silence suddenly fell in the kitchen. Everyone in the living room eyed each other in concern after that last sentence. A consternated Jackson stood up from the circle, but before he walked to the kitchen, Mark ran to him and grabbed his arm. Jaebeom watched them communicate in Chinese. Taehyung looked enthralled to witness all the drama developing around him. The American managed to bring Jackson back to the circle and this time he sat beside him. The maknaes weren’t sure of what to do. Youngjae was about to stand up and check what happened in the kitchen too when Jinyoung and Eric returned with the glasses. All eyes were on them.

“Bam, Yug, please escort Taehyung outside. Wait for us there. This last game is for the grown-ups. You are not allowed to come in before we finish it.” Jinyoung announced. The two youngsters didn’t question him. They dragged an unwilling Taehyung out of the room and closed the door.

“Let’s forget this stupid game and go home, shall we? This has gone too far.” An alarmed Mark said, dreading the worst. Eric’s sympathetic expression was gone and Jinyoung looked like he was about to murder someone.

“If you get near that door, Mark, or if anyone in this room tries to leave, I swear to God, everyone in Seoul will know you almost fucked JB, and now you’re fucking Jackson and I at the same time. I swear to you it will be on tomorrow news.” Jinyoung threatened him. Eric looked astonished. Jaebeom didn’t look surprised.

“Mark, I just can’t believe you fell for this. You can do better than that. You know that, right?” An exasperated Eric said as he turned to a defeated Mark.

“We can just walk out of here if you want to. He won’t do it, I guarantee you, he’s just acting up.” A calm Jackson told Mark as he studied Jinyoung.

“He will do it, I assure you.” Jaebeom said quickly, still, he didn’t look much worried with the situation.

“Can’t you stop your psychotic brother? This could ruin Mark’s life here! Don’t you care at all?” Eric turned to JB, suddenly feeling like a prisoner in his own party.

“Sorry, I was never able to stop him before. And as far as I know, Mark can look after himself.” JB stated, without giving much attention to the idol’s concerns.

“Guys, why don’t we just play? That’s all Jinyoung wants, right?” Youngjae suggested, trying to read the situation.

“Thanks, Jae.” Jinyoung said sarcastically.

“Let’s start this fucking game then! Are you satisfied now, Park Jinyoung? Bring it on then!” Mark shouted at the young Lim.

In the first round, Mark was the one who picked up the glass with vodka. Mark sat on the sofa and watched the next round. Eric was out in the second, and in the third round, JB was also out too. Youngjae won a rock-paper-scissors game with Jinyoung and Jackson, so he should be the one to decide which dare was suited for the losers. The trio just sat on the couch waiting for Youngjae to decide which dare was best for the ones who took the vodka glass.

“All right. Here’s the thing, a game is a game and we should stick to the rules. No one is supposed to question the dares I choose, okay?” Youngjae stared at them till the trio nodded. “Now I want JB to spend the night with me. Eric will take Jackson to the rave outside and won’t leave his side for the rest of the night. Mark and Jinyoung will stay 7 minutes in inside any closet of this house.” Youngjae said at once. The room fell silent.

“Are you saying I’m supposed to sleep with you?” Jaebeom eyed him in disbelief.

“You just gotta stay with me tonight. But if one thing leads to another, I really won’t mind.” Youngjae gave him an intense look. JB swallowed.

“Why the hell do I have to stay with Nam?” Jackson protested.

“You’re gonna protect him from your psychotic friend, that’s all. I know you’re more reasonable than Jinyoung hyung. You just need to put aside the fact that Eric is Mark’s ex and get to know him better! You guys might become friends and thank me for this opportunity in the future.” Youngjae said in a convincing tone. Eric sighed, while the Hongkonger grimaced.

“Chill, Jackson. It’s not like I’m happy with this dare either.” Nam added.

“Oh, why Jinyoung get to spend time with Mark and I don’t?” Jackson complained like a kid.

“Because Mark hyung is the only one in this room who can properly deal with Jinyoung hyung’s insanity.” Youngjae declared, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“It sounds to me I’ll be spending 7 minutes in hell. I’m not doing it.” Jinyoung spat. But as soon as he said it, Mark marched in his direction, pulled him by the arm and turned to Eric.

“Where’s the nearest closet here?”

“There are rooms upstairs. All of them have closets.” Eric said, and within a second, his ex dragged Jinyoung away from the room. Soon, an irritated Jackson took Eric by the wrist and dragged him back to the rave, while Youngjae and JB remained in the room. Jaebeom avoided his eyes, Youngjae walked up to him, and put a hand on the side of his face.

“Finally, it’s just the two of us. You can’t run away from me now. You’re gonna give me a second chance now, or never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses of how this party will end?^^


	33. Before The Full Moon Rises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you heard the spoken tale  
> How men turn into  
> A scary wolf  
> On a full moon?
> 
> ~ GOT7

One thing Got6 always took seriously was the rule of a game. Now that they were Got7, that habit hasn’t changed at all. Therefore, at the end of the _Russian Roulette_ game, the dares had to be performed. Jackson did what he was told, and remained beside Eric outside. However, he couldn’t bring himself to enjoy the rave. He loved to party, but he didn’t want to be there. He had a lot on his mind. He had even taken something earlier just to tolerate the trip to that house. When he received Jinyoung’s text hours ago, his gut told him that attending an event hosted by his boyfriend’s ex, was not a good idea. Not after he had an argument with Mark that morning. Not after Jinyoung showed up at his door with an object that wasn’t supposed to be in his possession. Not after he received a call from his dad claiming that he had to go back to Hong Kong to take his spot at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships. He hadn’t told any of his friends yet, but according to his dad, the Hong Kong University, as well as Stanford were offering him scholarships. Other institutions also wanted him to represent their school when he went out for competitions. Jackson wasn’t surprised with the news, that was expected, since very young he was trained for that. His coach, family and peers always believed he had the skills to win gold in the Olympics one day. Jackson also believed that. But being able to achieve something is not the same as wanting to achieve something. He knew that once he got into the Olympics, his dream of pursuing his music career would be terminated. He enjoyed fencing, but he was in South Korea because he loved music, and he desired to follow that path till the end of his days. He just had to find a way to convince his parents of his calling.

“Do you want a beer?” Eric offered casually. He was still trying to register what had just happened inside the house. He was worried about Mark and that whole twin story. But deep down, he knew that his ex would end up doing whatever he wanted, not what other people demanded from him. That simple thought gave him some sort of comfort. Now he was leaning his back onto a wall, just watching the rave, but not taking part of it. Beside him, the dark haired Chinese young man, very handsome, but too stubborn, pretended he didn’t exist. That was a first for him. Even before his idol career started, he was never ignored in that manner.

“No.” Jackson replied dryly. Eric sighed in frustration.

“What are you thinking about? Park and Mark inside a closet?” the American asked tentatively.

“I’m thinking of the best way to get rid of you.” Jackson declared, without meeting his eyes. Then he dug into his pocked irritably, took out a cigarette and lit it.

“Nonsense. I mean no harm, seriously.” Eric shrugged his shoulders. “But I am not sure about J.Y.P’s grandson.”

“I wish I could disagree with you.” Jackson said bitterly, before he took another a drag of his cigarette. The behavior of Jinyoung minutes ago only added to his misery. He was sure the young Lim wouldn’t spread rumors about their throuple relationship, but he couldn’t understand why he had to cause such a scene during the game.

“How long do you know each other?” Eric asked.

“Long enough to realize that lately I can’t recognize him.” Jackson ran a nervous hand through his hair. Eric was mesmerized by that simple action. For some reason, he thought it was extremely sexy.

“So, you and Mark are kind of sharing him?” The American asked, still trying to comprehend the whole picture. Jackson grimaced.

“So you and Dorine are close?” Jackson asked abruptly, without answering the other.

“That woman hates me, and that will never change.” Eric’s tone was a bit more serious now.

“Why are you meeting with her behind Mark’s back?” Jackson inquired.

“That’s none of your concern.” The idol replied quickly.

“You know what?! According to the dare, we are just supposed to be next to each other. We don’t have to talk at all. So if you’re going to play this mysterious game with me, you’d better not ask me any questions anymore.” Jackson retorted, bothered by the whole aura of secrecy that surrounded Mark’s ex arrival. He hated when people kept things from him, and recently, he felt that it was happening a lot.

“You do care about him, don’t you? I saw the way you looked at him when you both took that first shot after Jinyoung mentioned the twins’ blowjob matter.” Eric stared at Jackson with curiosity.

“Leave me alone, Nam.” Jackson retorted as he finally met the American’s eyes. They were sympathetic and understanding. “I’m not telling you shit.” The idol smiled, and for some reason, he felt that he could open up with the Hongkonger.

“His mom learned that I was the idol who was going to spend a week filming at Kirin High. I didn’t even think she had my number, but she called me out of the blue. Imagine my surprise. During all the years I dated Mark, she hardly greeted me. Now she wanted to meet up with me. She told me she wouldn’t be at school, because she was at the hospital, accompanying her stepson. She asked me to stop by. Therefore, I went there, out of curiosity. Can you guess what she told me? She believes I came to Seoul to chase after Mark. She just warned me to stay away from her son. She wanted me to try to convince the producers of the variety program to choose another school. Of course I didn’t do that. I can even picture her reaction when she sees me walking through the hallways of the school. Christ, I will never get used to her typical scowl.” Eric revealed with a sad smile on his lips.

“I can relate. I don’t think she likes any of her son’s boyfriends then. She came to my house once and set some boundaries. I was lowkey afraid of her.”

“You have no idea, man. Back in LA she didn’t simply set boundaries. It was definitely different with me. I think she was worse than Raymond. She once threatened to call the cops on me. You know I’m older than Mark, right? She hinted that I could be arrested for unlawful sex with a minor. She fucking preached to me the California law on underage dating, can you believe that?” Eric shook his head as he remembered those difficult days. “She didn’t even know that Mark and I had decided to wait to have that kind of intimacy, she just assumed I was forcing myself on her son or something. To be honest, I still think that she believes I turned Mark gay.”

“Wow, you’re a brave motherfucker.” Jackson commented, genuinely interested in what the American had to say.

“I was friends with Joey too. That’s another reason for her to abhor me. She couldn’t bear to see me around her golden child. I don’t know how that kid was able to handle so much pressure.” Eric looked pensive.

“Mark and Joey were pretty tight, right?” Jackson took that opportunity to know more about his boyfriend’s past. He always wanted to know more about it, but Mark often avoided the topic.

“Like all twins, I guess?” Eric said casually.

“Twins?” Jackson frowned.

“Yeah, man. He didn’t tell you? Shit, I’m talking about identical twins here.” Eric took his wallet out of his pocket and showed a stunned Jackson a picture in it. There was Mark and Eric sitting on a bench in the middle of a square. Their arms were around each other playfully. They looked a bit younger, and definitely happy.

“My God. I have never seen him smiling like this.” Jackson stated. He didn’t think that he had ever seen that kind of expression on his boyfriend’s face. “Are you going to show me one of Joey’s so I can compare the two?”

“I got ya. You’re not very perceptive, are you? You surely got the looks, but not the brains. Mark was the one who took this picture. He isn’t in it, Joey is. Look closer.” Eric smirked at him, and pointed to a spot on the boy’s skin that could be seen on the image, thanks to the loose sleeveless T-shirt he was wearing. Only then, Jackson realized that the same tattoo he was used to see on Mark’s calf, could be seen adorning Joey’s side.

“Damn, that’s incredible. I don’t think I could ever tell them apart. I mean, if they both were wearing long sleeves. I wonder why he never told me about the fact that he and Joey were twins.” The Hongkonger seemed confused for a while.

“That’s not a subject he would discuss with just anyone.” Eric said carelessly.

“I’m not just anyone. I’m his boyfriend.” Jackson narrowed his eyes at him. The American simply dismissed his annoyed expression.

“Since you mentioned, what is Jinyoung to him then? What about JB?”

“Only Mark can answer this question of yours.” The other replied shortly. His annoyed expression was back.

“If it makes you feel better, the fact that I’m in Kirin High is really just a coincidence. I’ve been in the city for a few months now and I didn’t dare to contact him.” Eric declared.

“Why should I believe you?” Jackson looked at him suspiciously.

“Why would I lie? Look, even before I broke up with Mark I had already dropped out of UCLA, my parents had already disowned me and I had signed a contract with B2M Entertainment as a solo artist.”

“You’re a college drop out?” The Hongkonger’s eyes grew big.

“The day Mark left, I knew his mom wouldn’t ever let him come back to America again. So I had to go after him. I decided to drop everything for him, and for myself.” Eric confessed in a sour tone. “Only then, my parents knew I was serious about our relationship. I had a huge argument with my dad and told him about my aspirations as a singer. He threatened to kick me out. That same night I contacted the agency that offered me a contract in Korea. So I started packing and I left home. I didn’t tell Mark that I planned to move to Seoul. I wanted to surprise him.”

“That’s quite romantic, I guess?” Jackson’s mocking tone took him aback. “And all the love was gone once Mark told you he had cheated on you?”

“I left family and a stable job back home. At some point, I regretted what I did. I thought I could get used to the country if I had him by my side. Then I heard he was drinking again and having one night stands. I really thought I could change his ways, but I could never fully reach him. The break up was devastating for me, but I didn’t give up on music. I remained in the Korea and held onto the opportunity that was presented to me. Soon I learned that an idol schedule was harsher than I imagined. I had already signed a contract, and I couldn’t just go back home crying to my parents and beg them to forgive me. At some point, I felt like my dream had become a neverending nightmare. I had no social life and passion turned into obligation. I was convinced that coming to South Korea to be with Mark and chase my dream was a huge mistake. I was drowning in regret, and I just wanted to end everything. So, one night I went to Mapo bridge with the intention to jump into the Han river. I had this photo you’re holding right now in my pocket, and the thought of seeing Joey again on my mind.” Eric paused. His eyes seemed distant and melancholic. Jackson was dumbstruck. It was the first time he had heard someone talk about his own suicide attempt. He didn’t think that was the kind of subject one would discuss with a stranger, but he secretly wanted to hear the end of that story.

“What kept you from jumping?” Jackson asked in a lower voice. His husky tone sent shivers to Eric’s spine.

“That’s a matter for another day.” Eric sighed deeply. “I suddenly sound like Mark! Why are we talking about death anyways? It’s a party. Let’s change the subject, shall we?”

“I also want to have a music career, but my family wants me to be a fencing champion.” Jackson said out of the blue.

“Oh, I see. Tiger parenting, right? It’s hard to escape the stereotypes.” Eric rolled his eyes. “By the way, how old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“I suggest you talk to your parents now. Don’t fool them into thinking that you’re going to fulfill their expectations. Don’t do stuff just to please them and suddenly stop doing it because you can’t take it anymore. I made that mistake, I think that’s why my parents were so disappointed. I should’ve made clear to them what I wanted before I finished high school. I should’ve followed Mark’s example.” Eric sounded genuinely regretful.

“Mark is never a good example for anyone.” Jackson said, shaking his head and making a face. Eric instantly agreed with him. The idol chuckled.

“You sound like Dorine. Perhaps you two have more in common than you think.” Eric commented playfully trying to lighten up the mood, and they both started laughing.

“I love him, you know?” Jackson said seriously, when their laughs died down.

“Oops, that’s not like her though. I don’t think such a line has ever come out of her mouth.” Eric commented jokingly, but soon his expression became more serious too. He gave the Hongkonger a sympathetic look and nodded at him.

“Once I wanted music and Mark at the same time. After giving it a lot of thought, I realized I could keep the music, and I’m grateful for that. In the beginning, it was difficult to accept that he and I couldn’t have a future together, but I survived. Everybody can survive a broken heart. But I almost let my dream slip through my fingers. I wonder if I could survive that. Make sure you can keep your dream, man. Whatever it is, chase it and conquer it.” Eric advised him with a brief pat on the back. The idol’s words touched Jackson, no doubt. It was nice to hear mature advices from someone older and experienced. Somehow, the weight on his shoulders didn’t feel so heavy.

“You’re hot when you’re being all adult-like and shit. Although you’re older than all of us, you mostly look our age, but for a couple of seconds during your _I have a dream_ speech you looked pretty daddy.” Jackson blurted out as he flicked his cigarette away. He eyed the American up and down and licked his lips. The idol was taken aback. Eric never thought someone could make him blush like the way Jackson just did. He wasn’t the shy kind.

“What the fuck did you just say?” a nervous laugh escaped from a disconcerted Eric. He couldn’t help but avoid the seductive eye contact.

“You’ve opened my eyes, Eric Nam. Maybe you can help me find out if I can keep Mark or not.” Jackson declared in his husky voice as he leaned onto Eric. The idol gasped when the Hongkonger moved to stand before him. Before he could register what was going on, Jackson pinned him against the wall and licked the side of his face.

“Stop it, someone might see.” It was all Eric managed to say, before he felt the Hongkonger’s lips crash down on his. Right there, under the foam and flashing lights, that kiss took the idol’s breath away.

Meanwhile, Youngjae and Jaebeom were alone in a room, trying to figure out what to say to each other. They were sitting on a couch, far away from each other, when Youngjae started speaking.

“Eric is great, isn’t he? Have you seen the size of this house? I saw a glimpse of his Bechstein piano in the other room. What I wouldn’t give to touch that keyboard with my own fingers.” Youngjae commented, killing the silence in the room.

“I know exactly what you would give in order to touch that.” Jaebeom gave him an accusing look.

“Excuse me?” Youngjae looked startled. He had eyes like saucers.

“I heard from Jinyoung you guys have been hanging around a lot. I also heard you did a duet with him at school. He abandoned an auditorium full of avid fans to spend time with you. I didn’t know you were Nam’s biggest fan, or should I say, biggest groupie.” Jaebeom gritted his teeth. Youngjae frowned and wondered why Jinyoung would say something like that to his brother.

“I admire his talent. That’s all.” He said in a small voice. He couldn’t understand why Jaebeom suddenly sounded so hostile.

“I’m sure he admire yours too.” JB snapped, as he stood up from the couch, folded his arms across his chest and eyed the younger with annoyance. At that moment, Youngjae finally understood what was going on. Jealousy was the reason for his bad temper. Jinyoung purposely made JB think that something was going on between him and Nam. He had to remind himself to thank the young Lim later. For now he decided to play along.

“Well, it’s not like every day an idol gives me that kind of attention, right? He handed me tickets to his upcoming concert, and I’ll even get to hang out with him backstage.” Youngjae lied, feigning excitement.

“You do know he will want something back, right? You’re too naive if you think he’s doing all that for free.” Jaebeom stated as he walked to Youngjae and towered over him.

“Well, there’s a couple of things I would do with him for free.” Youngjae claimed boldly. He had a boost of confidence when Jaebeom’s face turned pale.

“Don’t you remember what I proposed to you at the hospital?” the older sounded genuinely angry now.

“How could I forget? You wanted me to help you fuck over your brother’s love life, and then you would give poor Youngjae a second chance.” The younger looked outraged as he remembered JB’s ludicrous deal.

“I don’t know what you did. Jinyoung refused to tell me, but they broke up. So, I’m ready to fulfill my part of the deal.” Jaebeom stated, staring hard at the younger. Youngjae tried to conceal his surprise. He hadn’t heard about any break up. But he assumed it was just another one of Jinyoung’s lying strategies to bring them closer.

“Well, thanks, but I’ll pass. I realized that I’m not interested in it anymore. Actually, you can take this second chance of yours and shove it. I have better options now.” The younger didn’t want a JB who thought that he would be able to go along with that kind of stupid deal. The older fumed.

“You were almost bawling your eyes out earlier because I didn’t take that fucking shot during the _Never Have I Ever_ game.” Jaebeom sounded skeptical.

“I was just testing you. You just proved that you’re not worth of my time. That’s all I needed to move on. Actually, I should thank you for that. I can only imagine how many doors Ricky can open for me.” Youngjae almost patted himself on the back. His performance was worth of an Oscar. Jinyoung had definitely rubbed off on him.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me! Jae, are you for real?” Jaebeom’s voice cracked.

“Now that Mark is free, you go after him. Because I’ll be definitely keeping his ex busy.” The younger said nonchalantly. He knew he had gone too far the moment he saw JB kick the center table in front of the couch. His jaw never looked so sharp when he kneeled in front of Jae and roughly pulled his legs apart to position himself between them. Youngjae froze on the spot.

“Maybe I should remind you how my lips feel around your cock before you consider opening your legs for someone else.” Jaebeom said as he swiftly unzipped the younger’s jeans and tried to shove his hands inside his underwear. But Youngjae was faster and captured his hand before it could reach his genitals.

“What the fuck are you doing?! Are you out of your mind? We’re not together anymore.” Youngjae sounded offended as he tried to push JB away from him.

“Yes, we are. We have a deal. This is our second chance. You want this!” JB insisted as he tried to pull the younger’s jeans down. Youngjae struggled to keep his hands away. He immediately regretted the idea of making Jaebeom jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A whole chapter without the main character?!O.o
> 
> Don't worry...
> 
> It's a double update!^.^


	34. Confession Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I burned all our bridges - not knowing that love knows how to swim.”  
> ~ Laura Chouette

“Stop it! I don’t want it. You don’t love me!” Youngjae protested, as JB climbed on top of him on the couch and held him by the wrist. He stared hard into his ex’s terrified eyes.

“Were you lying to me too?” His tone was softer, but he still held Youngjae firmly by the wrists. “Come on, say you love me, Samchon.” The younger swallowed, when the older brushed his lips against his.

“I didn’t do anything to separate Mark and Jinyoung. I’m not like that! I never agreed to help you with anything. If they broke up, I have nothing to do with it. Now get off me, Lim Jaebeom.” Youngjae demanded, but there was nothing he could do to free himself from JB’s strong arms.

“Mark and Jinyoung can go to hell for all I care! They’re both assholes, but you’re better than them. You’re that sweet, innocent boy who I met years ago, who always made the sun shine brighter in my sky. I know you kept secrets to protect me in the past, I know you left me because you thought it would hurt me more if you told me the truth about what was going on with my mom. But you were wrong. Knowing that I had lost you, tore me apart! I’d have dealt better with my mother’s sickness than I did with your departure. Listen to me, Jae! Back at the hospital, you told me that you knew how it felt to love someone and not be able to act on that love. Do it now, act on the love you feel for me.” A desperate Jaebeom pleaded.

“I wasn’t talking about you. Don’t flatter yourself. Get the fuck off me, now!” Youngjae’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“Who’s the one you love then, huh? Is it, Nam? He wasn’t even in the picture at the time. I can tell you’re lying! Who’s he, Youngjae?!” Jaebeom asked, refusing to let go of the younger.

“I do not know who you are anymore! You’re hurting me! I told you to get off me!” Youngjae shouted this time and JB immediately let go of his wrists and got up. The younger sobbed uncontrollably as he sat up and massaged his pulse. Jaebeom looked terrified when he realized what he had done. He crouched in front of the boy trying his best not to scare him. He put both his hands on his head when he saw the red bruise around the boy’s wrists.

“Jae, Jae, honey. I’m sorry, baby. Please, forgive me, I didn’t mean to use so much strength. Oh, God! What did I do? I’m a jerk, please look at me. Believe me when I say that I love you, my darling. I love you so fucking much. I should’ve taken the shot of vodka, but I was too prideful to do it! I wanted to punish you all this time for all the wrong reasons. Please don’t hate me. I can’t live without you, Samchon! I’ve been miserable because I don’t have you by my side. I knew that all along. Mark and I was a thrilling accident, you and I are a miracle. My destiny is yours. My heart belongs to you and always will. I love you.” A panicked Jaebeom desperately said at once.

“Are you saying all that just to get into my pants? Because you fear that Eric might have what only you were able to put your hands on?” Youngjae stopped crying and stared back at his ex. He didn’t look convinced.

“Yes!” he said quickly and the other furrowed his brows. JB was unable to explain himself. “I mean, yes and no. I-I just want you back, okay? I beg you to give me one more chance. I know I don’t deserve it, but I hope you can at least think about it, okay? Look, you were right all along, you know me more than anyone else! I am not my brother. I’m not happy to see him unhappy. I don’t like seeing him all crazy again. I can only be happy if I have you.” Jaebeom confessed as he reached for his hands and gently kissed both the boy’s wrists. Youngjae didn’t push him away this time.

“No more revenge plan?” the younger raised an eyebrow at him.

“No.”

“Are you gonna lead Got7 as you’re supposed to, and stop thinking that your own friends are laughing at you!?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know what you’ve been up to while I was away. But I still only do serious relationships. There’s no sex without love and no commitment without trust.” Youngjae stated seriously.

“You haven’t changed a bit. I like the sound of that.” Jaebeom smiled proudly, ruffling the younger’s hair.

“I haven’t been with anyone else, I mean, in bed. Have you?” Youngjae asked a bit embarrassed.

“You know Mark and I never went all the way. There was no one else.” JB assured him, as he caressed his thighs.

“It’s been more than a year, JB. Are you sure? I don’t wanna get any STDs, you know?” Youngjae said, as he looked away.

“Wait, that means you wanna have sex with me?” JB winked at him playfully.

“It means I love you too, stupid.” Youngjae’s honest eyes met his this time. Jaebeom smiled fondly at him. He felt a lump in his throat when he held both sides of his face and brought it closer to him. He kissed Youngjae’s forehead, than both his cheeks and finally his lips.

In another part of the house, the Markjin couple argued. Their voices echoed inside a huge closet. Seven minutes had already passed, but their desire to shout at each other kept them there longer than necessary to complete the dare. Youngjae certainly predicted that.

“Are you fucking Taehyung or not?!” Mark was already tired of asking the same thing.

“I refuse to answer this stupid question! You have four fucking guys after your ass and that’s all you wanna talk about?” Jinyoung shot back.

“Four!? I thought you were good at math Jinyoung! I only have you and Jackson as boyfriends!”

“Oh, really? What about Nam and my brother?” Jinyoung eyed him suspiciously.

“JB and I decided to be friends! Eric is not after my ass whatsoever! We broke up, remember?”

“Mark, I can’t take this any longer! I want them to know you chose me, I want the whole fucking world to know that you are mine.” The young Lim was unrelenting.

“I will talk to Jack tomorrow, okay?! We both will, I promise. It might take a bit longer to tell our parents. You need to be patient.”

“Why?!” The young Lim asked stubbornly.

“I need to be eighteen by then, have a job, I don’t know. If Dorine tries to kick me out or send me away, at least I’ll be able to fend for myself. There’s also my father’s inheritance. I can have access to it as a minor. We gotta wait.” The American explained, hoping that he didn’t have to have that conversation again with Jinyoung. He was already tired of trying to convince his boyfriend of the obvious risks of such a revelation.

“We can always rob a bank and run away together. That’s what you told your mom, right?” Jinyoung smirked at his boyfriend.

“I never said anything about robbing a bank.” Mark swallowed, hoping the other would take the subject more seriously.

“I didn’t know you had defended our relationship so bravely. I mean, I am the stepbrother you said you’d run away with, right?”

“Of course, but she thinks I was talking about JB.” Mark clarified and took a deep breath. “By the way, are you finally gonna tell me what is going on between you and your brother? Last time you said he tried to blackmail you but you didn’t tell me the details. Now you two seem okay. Have you guys made up?”

“Everything will be all right after tonight. I’ll certainly have my brother back, don’t worry. I didn’t lure all the Got7 members to this party without a plan.” Jinyoung said simply.

“What the hell is your plan exactly? What do you intend to achieve this time?” Mark dreaded to know what the Korean was plotting.

“I told JB that you and I broke up. I asked for his forgiveness and told him that he and I should stay away from Mark Tuan from now on. I told him no one would come between us twins, and also sputtered a few other cringey lines that only an actor like me would be able to deliver flawlessly. You see, I needed to get his trust back, in order to manipulate him. Deep down, he’s probably still mad at me, but he listened to me when I told him about what was going on at school. I believe that a rival might force him to realize that Youngjae is the one for him. So I made up a strong adversary for Jaebeom. Let’s see how things will turn out. Once he’s not so bitter, all the resentment will go away. My prediction is that 2Jae will be reunited in no time. Mark my words.” Jinyoung’s overconfident expression bothered the older.

“Did you say a rival? I don’t get it. How exactly did you manipulate JB?”

“I made him think that Jae and Eric Nam may become a thing. I exaggerated a bit as I gave him my account of the latest events. I changed little facts and spiced things up for the sake of a possible goal. The truth is, jealousy tends to make people reveal what is really in their hearts, you know? As soon as you, him, your ex, and Jae were in the same room together, I would be able to tell if JB was jealous of you or Jae. Well, did you see my brother’s face when Nam addressed Jae with a simple ‘Jae-ah’?” Jinyoung felt smug.

“That’s stupid, Jinyoung! You’re using Eric to-”

“It’s brilliant, babe! Don’t you see? How mad were you when I arrived at this party with Taehyung by my side?” Jinyoung gave him a cocky smile.

“Did you just make me think that you were with Taehyung so I’d be forced to dump Jackson faster?”

“Tomorrow, exactly. That’s what you just promised me. We’re telling him tomorrow.” Jinyoung reminded him.

“Jesus Christ, you’re such a bastard.” The American shook his head in disbelief.

“Right. But this bastard loves you, and you love this bastard.” Jinyoung claimed with a cheeky grin playing on his lips. Without much notice, he gripped Mark by the waist and kissed him. Mark missed the taste of his lips, and he couldn’t deny his boyfriends’ statement, so he eagerly kissed him back. However, when Jinyoung’s hands slipped under his shirt, the older pushed him away.

“What is it now?” Jinyoung looked at him confusedly.

“When we talk to Jacks about us tomorrow, I want him to know that I only cheated once. I don’t wanna do more stuff behind his back. I must properly break up with him first, before I can sleep with you again. You should agree with me, after all he’s your best friend. You don’t wanna hurt his feelings any further, right?” Mark stared directly into his eyes.

“I probably won’t have a best friend after tomorrow. He really likes you and I took you from him. He even completed the stupid fidelity test without even realizing it. It’s been more than a month now. I didn’t think he could do it. I have never seen him like this, never. The old Wang Jackson is gone. I can’t recognize now. And I bet he must think just the same about me.” Jinyoung seemed to ponder his own words. He almost sounded sad for a minute.

“He knew you were bluffing earlier. While everyone thought you were having one of your psychotic episodes after you came back from the kitchen with Eric, he remained calm. He knew you wouldn’t tell the whole world about us. He still gets you. You guys don’t have to become strangers to each other. I would hate that.” Mark said gently as he ran his fingers through his lover’s silky hair.

“Me too.” Jinyoung said quietly as he stared at his feet, and Mark was sure that the Korean meant that. The American was about to say something else when they started hearing loud moans and sex noises coming from the other room, right next to the one they were.

“Shit, someone is enjoying their night.” Mark chuckled. And when Jinyoung lifted his eyes to meet his, he could already see excitement in them.

“That’s 2Jae happening, right at this moment!” the Korean announced delightfully.

“Come on, it could be anyone.” Mark shook his head at him.

“Does it bother you? The fact that they are finally together now? Do you happen to be jealous?” Jinyoung narrowed his eyes at the older.

“No.” Mark said shortly, shaking his head awkwardly.

“Why don’t we go check on them?” the younger suggested mischievously.

“What?!” Mark looked scandalized.

“I must see if my plan worked!” Jinyoung announced, as he quickly exited the closet and swiftly walked out of the room. He promptly stopped in front of the next door and pressed his ear on it. Mark was right behind him, trying to convince the young Lim of abandoning that ludicrous idea of surprising whatever couple was having such a loud sex. Yet, for some reason Jinyoung’s animated expression suddenly turned into a frown.

“What did you hear? Can you recognize one of the voices? Is it them?” The American became curious.

“Maybe we should leave them to it. Come on, I’ll take you home.” Jinyoung said awkwardly as he grabbed his arm. The American’s curiosity only increased, and he refused to leave with him.

“Seriously?! Come on, who are they?” Mark insisted.

“You don’t wanna know.” Jinyoung’s intriguing words made Mark push him away from the door. The American seemed to forget all his reservations from earlier and simply barged into the room.

“I swear to God, this wasn’t in my plans.” Jinyoung whispered behind him.

There in bed, lied Jackson and Eric. Their seemingly naked bodies were partially covered by the sheets and neither Jinyoung nor Mark missed the detail that Eric was certainly the one who was topping.

“What the fuck is this?!” Mark shouted, as he made an exaggerated gesture with his hands. The idol quickly got up from the bed with a sheet around his waist, but Jackson held him by the hand before he could take another step away from him.

“Do you mind letting us finish?” Jackson asked indifferently as he turned his head to the couple at the door.

“Jack, seriously?! The fuck is wrong with you man?” Jinyoung eyed him in disbelief.

“I should get going now.” Eric announced as he brushed Jackson’s hand away and tried to leave the room. But Mark was faster and pulled him back to the bed and jumped on top of him. The first thing he noticed was that as soon as the sheets fell, the idol was still wearing pants. A sarcastic laugh escaped the Hongkonger’s lips when he saw the puzzled look on Mark’s face.

“Don’t kill me, Little Rooster. It’s just a prank.” Eric eyed him with a gleam of regret in his eyes. His ex took a minute or two to pull himself together and fight the urge of punching the idol.

“Can you explain to me what are you playing at?!” Mark demanded, as he got off the idol and stood up. He bit his lower lip when he glanced at Jackson and saw him in his boxers. Jinyoung leaned against the wall and watched the scene with bafflement. He studied his American boyfriend’s features silently. He assumed that Mark had no reason to be so angry, since he was going to end things with the Hongkonger soon.

“I just wanted you to know, at least for a second, how it feels like to know that your boyfriend cheated on you.” Jackson stated, as his eyes travelled from Jinyoung to Mark.

“Jack.” Mark started, but the Hongkonger simply collected his clothes from the floor and went into the bathroom. An alarmed Mark followed him. Jinyoung wanted to remain in the room, but Eric insisted to have a word with him outside. Eventually, the idol managed convince the Korean to give the other couple some privacy.

"Did you plan to say goodbye at least?" Jackson asked as he pulled up his pants.

"What are you talking about?" Mark anguished voice resonated into the bathroom.

"You told Dorine you're running away with your stepbrother, right? Which one of them?” The Hongkonger sounded and looked hurt. “The truth is, at this point I think you might even take off with Nam too!" Jackson accused, though he wanted to believe that Eric had no intention of going back to his ex.

"Look, I only said that to Dorine so she wouldn't interfere with my life. You've seen how she is. It's my fault she found out that something was going on between one of my stepbrothers and I. Of course I'm not saying goodbye to you. I'm not running away with Eric either. What the hell?! Stop acting like you don't know me." Mark retorted.

"Well, I don't, Little Rooster! By the way, what the fuck kind of nickname is that?" Jackson frowned.

"Look, I broke up with Nam months ago! I unfriended him on social media, I deleted his contact from my phone and we were in different countries, for God's sake! You have no reason to feel threatened by him, seriously!" Mark declared exasperated. He wanted to delay that moment of revelation as much as he could.

"What about Jinyoung?!" Jackson inquired, as he picked up a pack of cigarette from the sink, took one out, lit it and took a long drag. Mark had only seen Jackson smoke once. It was the morning after the throuple arrangement had become official, and they had discarded rule 77.

"What about him?" Mark asked, knowing exactly what his boyfriend was getting at. He wondered why the young Lim wasn’t there to help him explain things to Jackson.

"Is he the one? He's your rule 77?" Jackson asked at once. He didn't care about Mark's answer, he just needed to know. The American swallowed hard and took a deep breath. It pained him to hurt the younger.

"I love both of you. What do you want me to do about it, huh?" Mark shrugged nervously. At that point, he didn’t know what he was saying anymore. He just didn’t want to be hated by Jackson.

"Liar." Jackson stated caustically.

"Jia Er." Mark said in a hurt tone.

"Where's your bracelet, Mark?" The Hongkonger demanded, impatiently as he pointed to the American’s wrist.

"I don't know! I lost it. How many times do I have to tell you?" Mark shouted at him.

"Jinyoung said you took if off because now you're his! He said you gave it to him as a proof that he's the only one for you now. Can you confirm what he said?" Jackson said as he gritted his teeth and took the said bracelet out of his pocket. He waved it in front of Mark's livid face.

"He's the one who's lying, don't you see?! He wanted to take this off me since the day you put it on my wrist!" Mark couldn't believe that the Korean went that far to brake them up. He felt betrayed.

"Mark, how would he be able to take it from you without you noticing it?" Jackson demanded.

"When we were having sex?" Mark suggested a bit awkwardly.

"You guys had sex after he confessed?" Jackson's eyes blinked repetitively.

"Yeah." The American's voice was almost a whisper.

"Who topped?" The younger demanded quickly.

"Are you seriously making that stupid question now? Does it really matter who topped or who bottomed? It's simply sex! It's not like we haven't done it before. Nothing's changed." Mark lied.

"It matters to me. The three of us had an agreement. Answer me, goddamit!"

"I did." Mark lied through his teeth.

"Bullshit." He shook his head.

"Why are you asking me about it if you already know the answer?" The defeat in Mark's pained voice made the other gasp.

"Set me free, Mark. Just tell me that the Markjinson throuple is cancelled and that Markjin came to stay. Just break up with me already. I can handle it, okay? I promise you I will not bite your neck off, I will not start fights, nor will I take drugs and stand on the ledge of a roof. I won't set fire to buildings either, nor I'll go astray." Jackson claimed, as he stared hard into his eyes.

"He topped. I asked for it. I enjoyed it, and so did he. I told Jinyoung I love him. And yes, I'd have ran away with him if Dorine or anyone found out and tried to tear us apart. I can't imagine my life without him now." Mark was cruelly blunt. Still, he felt like apologizing to Jackson for saying those words. 

"We're over then." Jackson said out loud. Mark’s heart skipped a beat.

"We don't have to be. I can talk with Jin. The three of us will be okay. We love each other!" Mark's voice cracked and he couldn't hold back his sobs anymore.

"Sweetheart, I'm an experienced fencer. I've been to countless competitions. I can actually tell when victory is not supposed to be mine. Throughout the years I have learned how to accept defeat and I'm not a sore loser." Jackson stated with a bittersweet smile on his lips. Mark's tears fell copiously.

"I do love you." The older said, as he walked to the Hongkonger and held his face with both hands.

"But you love him more. My greedy, wicked friend probably realized that already, and we both know that, in the actual circumstances, he’s not willing to share." Jackson stated, as his own eyes watered. He gently avoided The American’s touch, finished getting dressed and exited the bathroom.

"Jack." Mark whined pitifully as he followed the Hongkonger to the empty bedroom.

"I'll be fine. You'll be fine. We'll be fine. Just give it some time, okay?" The Hongkonger said as he kissed the top of his head, put away his cigarette and walked away from him. That was definitely one of the worst parties Mark had even been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it really the end of MarkJinSon??T-T


	35. Love Loop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of withering, of tarnishing." ~Anaïs Nin

_“Hi, I’m Jackson and I’m about to save your life”._

_“I was the one who got you dressed in Yugyeom father’s clothes yesterday night.”_

_“You're not a criminal. Not for what happened in America nor for what's currently going on here. Consider yourself innocent of all charges.”_

_“I’m glad you’re the one I fell for. You move me, you light up my days, and you fill my thoughts 24/7.”_

_“I love you, Yi-en.”_

_“You’ve just made me the happiest guy alive.”_

_“We're over then.”_

There were too many thoughts running through his mind. He could remember how Jackson easily and intensely delivered those lines, in different occasions, except for the last one. That one wasn’t easy, it was produced by a large amount of struggle, it was built with sacrifice. A flashback of the fondest moments he spent with him filled his head. And he wished, he somehow, could keep the Hongkonger by his side. He wanted to run after him, take him into his arms, then look into his dark deep eyes and apologize. Yet, he knew it was no use to ask for forgiveness one more time. He wouldn’t get a second chance to do things right. It was hard to realize that love wasn’t really black and white. Could the dissolution of three become a pair’s paradise? Would Jinyoung fill out that raw empty space left inside? The stinging pain of losing Jackson wouldn’t certainly disappear overnight. Now only a dreadful comfort blinded the American’s poor teary sight. He remembered how all good ones and beloved things would eventually die, relationships and people just were not meant to survive. Every single heart Mark touched would infallibly give out or expire. It could happen tomorrow, the day after, tonight. And no matter how he craved for company and love, coffins only tended to multiply.

Mark’s recurrent reflection led him out of that bedroom. Jinyoung was silently waiting for him outside. Eric wasn’t with him. The Korean had his arms folded across his chest as he stared at the floor. He wasn’t displaying his typical smirk this time, nor he had the victorious expression of earlier when he claimed that his plans for that night would go exactly the way he expected. When he noticed the American’s presence, he lifted up his head. He guiltily met Mark’s eyes when he walked in his direction.

“I shouldn’t have given him the bracelet, right?” his question was laced with a tinge of regret.

“I’d never have taken it off on my own volition. If you hadn’t removed it from my wrist, I’d probably still be wearing it now. I’m not mad that you did it, it’s just a piece of jewelry anyway.” Mark sighed deeply. It wasn’t really just a piece of jewelry for him, but he had to make his point in a way that the other could understand his mistake. “It’s what you said to him that drives me crazy! You shouldn’t have lied to him. The fact that you were the one who gave the bracelet back to Jack is no proof that you are the only one for me.” The older narrowed his eyes at him. His features darkened.

“Mark.” His voice trembled. Jinyoung’s heart was in his mouth. He suddenly felt a kind of fear and remorse he had never felt before. Only the American could instill those extreme feelings in him.

“I don’t wanna be yours anymore, not like this. Maybe I never was yours. That’s right, I’m not yours.” His stepbrother stated emotionlessly.

“Babe, listen-”

“You trampled on your best friend’s heart just to make sure things between him and I would end tonight! I asked you for some time, I told you I wasn’t ready, that we should be careful with him. But you just did whatever the hell you wanted in the most vicious way! He didn’t deserve this shit.” Mark raised his voice this time and the disappointment in his tone broke Jinyoung’s heart.

“Mark, come on. I know you feel sorry for him. I do too, but it had to be done. You are incapable of letting people go. You’re just not built that way. You would keep delaying this break up, you’d keep leading him on. I had to do it for our sake and his! You saw him! He’s not that mad. He’s hurt, yes. But I’m sure he’ll get over it.” Jinyoung tried to explain himself, but his boyfriend wasn’t in the mood to listen to his excuses.

“What about me, Jinyoung?! Will I get over it?! Have you even spared a single thought for me? Jack was the one who said he loved me even before you had enough balls to formulate the words!” Mark accused, suddenly regretting all the bad choices he made since he arrived in Korea. He could still remember Bambam’s words when Jackson first proposed rule 77, ‘ _Mark hyung, take my advice. Run away. You haven’t seen a jealous Jinyoung yet’._ He just wondered why he would never listen to reason.

“Oh I didn’t know it was a competition of who says I love you first! Are you regretting your choices now, darling?” The Korean asked sarcastically and pursed his lips. “You know what? He might still be at the rave outside. Go after Jackson if it’s that what you want. I won’t stop you.”

“Maybe I should.” Mark said defiantly.

“What the hell are you waiting for then?” the younger dared him. He saw Mark hesitate for a second.

“Before I go, maybe we should clarify some things.” The American took a deep breath.

“You don’t wanna go after him, that’s a fact. The throuple is over, Mark. We’re a couple now. It’s only you and me. What is there to clarify?” Jinyoung asked firmly.

“I think we need a break…Oh no, scratch that. I’m sure we need a break.” Mark stated with determination.

“A what?!” a perplexed Jinyoung could barely believe his own ears.

“You heard it. I cannot date you right now! Not after what you did.” the older replied shortly.

“It’s not what I did, Mark! It’s what we did! We broke the rules and cheated on him. If you hadn’t let me fuck you in that on-call room, we wouldn’t have hurt him in the first place. I didn’t force myself on you! You cannot put this on me. Don’t be a hypocrite. You cannot be serious right now.” The Korean sounded incredibly disgruntled.

“The fact that you cannot see-”

“See what, Mark?! That you got what you wanted?! That I’ve fallen for you and I get more insane every day? That you fucking imprisoned me, making me feel like I’m kept under lock and key all the time? That every single thing I do, bad or good, right or wrong, is in order to secure our relationship? That you’re volatile and you don’t know what you want? That I’m a fucking idiot for handing my heart to someone as inconstant as yourself!?” the younger couldn’t contain his own feelings anymore.

“And I’m clearly stupid for letting you rule all the aspects of our relationship so far. This is not happening anymore. I didn’t ask you to cook up schemes and persuade people. You’ve gone too far and I’m not letting you manipulate me or anyone else into doing what you want. You made up all that story to Jack, making me look like an asshole. And that wasn’t the first time! Let’s not forget the stuff you said to JB about me. Today this fucking ends. It’s the last time you used my name to achieve your damn goals.” Mark declared in a serious tone.

“I thought it was your goal too.” The Korean said in a softer tone as he came closer to him and tried to touch the side of Mark’s face.

“You thought wrong.” The American muttered, as he avoided the other’s touch.

“Yeah, I guess I was wrong about a lot of things.” Jinyoung’s disappointed voice made the older swallow hard.

“Good. At least now we’ll have some time away from each other and we’ll be able to reevaluate our own feelings and thoughts. The American said mercilessly and turned to leave. The show was over and there was no big round of applauses left for Jinyoung’s efforts at that party. His acting skills meant nothing at that moment.

The Korean didn't expect Mark to really walk away. But he did. The Korean took some minutes to realize what had happened. His schemes were completely in vain. Everything he had planned for that night was supposed to bring him and the American together at last. JB would get Youngjae back, Jackson would find out that the throuple's rule was broken, and Taehyung's presence would make Mark feel jealous and threatened. He meticulously calculated the possibilities of failure, and he was convinced that his strategies had no chance of backfiring. He just didn't know what to do about Eric Nam. Mark's ex was still an enigma to him. He had no idea what were his intentions towards his boyfriend. The young Lim would never imagine that Jackson would get the idol's help to prank them. However, he shouldn't be surprised. His best friend always found ways to interact with people. He could be the best party guest and the light of the party itself. Of course that lately his spark was considerably diminished, but Jinyoung knew that it was still there.

Mark was obviously shook with Eric and Jackson's performance. For at least a second or two, he was able to realize what he had done to Jackson and what Jinyoung had done to them. The young Lim didn't like the word 'break' coming out of the American's mouth. He could not measure the meaning of it. He was unable to predict what could happen during their break. For once in his life, he wouldn't be allowed to manipulate the course of events in his favor. The length of breaks were often torturously indeterminate and dubious. A break could last a few days, weeks, months, or even a year, and absolutely anything could happen before it was over. Jinyoung didn't think he would bear to stay away from Mark the way Jaebeom kept his distance from Youngjae. He didn't have that patience nor that tolerance.

The thoughts of the young Lim were suddenly interrupted by a glowing pair of lovers.

"We heard shouting. Is everything okay?" Youngjae asked in a sympathetically manner. Jinyoung quickly turned around and his eyes immediately fixed on the younger's hands. They were entwined with Jaebeom's.

"Cat got your tongue brother?" JB asked as he raised an eyebrow at him. Jinyoung quietly shook his head. Something in his twin's tone eased his burden. Finally, his brother sounded like himself. He couldn't tell what exactly made him notice that, but JB didn't look that serene for quite some time. He missed that. He was glad for them. At least one couple was properly benefited from that disturbing and endless party.

"Is 2jae back together?" Jinyoung still wanted to hear that confirmation. He was in need of some good news.

"Yeah." Choi smiled brightly at him, and Jinyoung almost felt like crying. He understood now why Mark was envious of that couple. Together they were absolutely gorgeous. There was an aura of completeness that emanated from them. It wasn't what Mark chaotically named a private madness, it was a balanced stability that was supported by both of them. That was definitely love, in its simplest and purest form. It hurt to witness that. He wanted that for him and Mark too. He just didn't know how to achieve that level of solidity with him.

"Good. I'm happy for you guys." Jinyoung said in a gentle voice.

"Was it Mark that left? Were you guys fighting?" Jaebeom looked a bit concerned by the disheartened expression on his twin's face. The latter just sighed and looked away.

"You brought the car, right? This party is definitely over for me. I don't wanna be here anymore. I'm going home. C-can you take me home?" Jinyoung's sobs took both teenagers by surprise. JB immediately ran to him and gave his brother a hug. The way Jinyoung trembled in his arms made the older Lim's heart melt. He just couldn't hate him for everything that happened lately. He loved his brother and all he wanted now was to take him home and look after him.

"Jae, we're going to the mansion. Come on. It's about time we leave. We have classes in a few hours." JB stated and his boyfriend immediately followed him and a brokenhearted Jinyoung to the exit of the house.

Jackson was with Yugyeom outside at the rave. The maknae was having a fit because Bambam had ditched him to dance with Taehyung. He complained at Jackson, but the Hongkonger's mind was far away. He saw when an aggrieved Mark walked out of the house and Eric tried to calm him down. The American seemed too vexed to give him any attention, but the idol managed to get him to talk. Jackson couldn't hear what was being said between them, but soon the pair disappeared amongst the crowd.

Minutes later, Jaebeom, Youngjae and Jinyoung took their leave too, and for some reason, the young Lim's body language indicated that he wasn't well. Jackson felt tempted to approach the trio, but he quickly dismissed that idea. He was sure that Mark and Jinyoung would become officially a couple, eventually. Even if that party ended badly, he knew they'd be able to fix their problems by themselves. He didn't want to meddle yet, he needed to spare his heart of more heartache. At least for that morning.

"Jackson hyung, my uber is outside. Are you staying here or going home?" Yugyeom asked out loud, trying to get the other's attention. 

"You can go. I'm going to look after Bam. Have a nice trip home, kid." The Hongkonger announced as he abandoned his agape dongsaeng and joined the crowd.

Meanwhile, the two Americans who had also left the party were inside a parked car, a few meters from the Mapo Bridge.

"What the fuck are we doing here?! You know, I literally fucking hate bridges. What the hell!?" Mark fumed on the passenger seat.

"You told me to drive! I asked where, and then you said anywhere! Look, I saw you upset and I wanted to help. So I left my party, my guests, my house and drove all the way here for you. Why are you complaining now?" An exasperated Eric exclaimed in his defense.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Just start the car and get us out of here now!" Mark yelled this time. He was being unreasonable, and he knew it. However, he wasn't able to think straight at that moment. Too much shit had happened that, morning.

"How many times do I have to tell you that the car is not starting?" The idol gave Mark an impatient look.

"Call a fucking cab then!" Mark retorted, making exaggerated gestures with his hands.

"I don't have my phone with me. Do you have yours?" Eric sighed in frustration when Mark shook his head.

"It's 4AM. I have class in a couple of hours and I wasn't able to get any freakin' sleep!" The teenager complained, still cursing himself for going to that damned party.

"Wow, look at you! Such a dedicated student. I’m impressed.” Eric grinned slightly but as soon as the other gave him a dirty look, he rolled his eyes at him. “Look, there are still cabs running at this hour. We can hail one as soon as it comes our way. We should just wait here and enjoy the view."

“Great! That’s all I need right now! Spend the next few minutes, or perhaps hours, inside a piece of shit car with my fucking ex! This is definitely not my day!” Mark cursed under his breath.

“A piece of shit? Mark, dear, this is a Maserati. By the way, you had no problem spending time inside my car back in LA. I could think about a couple of things you enjoyed to do in it.” Eric teased and winked at the blushing teenager.

“Fuck off. Those days are long gone.” Mark looked out of the window of the car, avoiding the idol’s eyes.

"What happened between you and Park anyways?" The idol took a deep breath and changed the subject abruptly.

"I don't wanna talk about it." The younger replied shortly.

"Listen, Wang told me about the throuple thing. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, really. Still, I had a hard time believing it. You have definitely changed. I mean, this country made you grow up faster than I thought. Now you are indeed full of surprises, Mark. I can’t read you anymore. Back in The U.S you were a virgin kid who would never get past the second base with me, now you’re like, having orgies and shit? Have you been attending swinging parties too?" Eric teased the younger, trying to get a reaction from him.

"Are you deaf?! I said I don't wanna talk about it!" The younger finally met his eyes, but this time he gave the other a menacing look.

"Are you gonna deck me, Little Rooster?" The idol asked fearlessly, with a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"Fuck you!" Mark exclaimed as he unfastened his belt and quickly got out of the car. Eric sighed in frustration, got out of the car too and followed him.

“Oh, come on! Your birthday is in a couple of months. I’ve just said you had matured, man. You're being childish right now. Running away doesn’t look like something an adult would do. I mean, you'll be 18 soon.” The idol insisted, but Mark kept walking away from him. Therefore, an idea came to his mind. “You know what, dodging my questions now will only force me to get these answers from your hot Chinese boyfriend later." Eric gasped when Mark abruptly turned around and marched back in his direction.

“Was that stupid prank your idea, or his?!” the teenager demanded. Eric inhaled.

“His.”

“Why did you agree with it?” Mark frowned at him, as he came very close to his face.

“I was supposed to stay with him the whole night, right? That was the dare. By the way, I should be by his side at the party. How am I gonna explain this to that Choi kid when I see him again? He will not let me get away with this. You made me break the rules. What did you do to me, Markie!?” Eric made a face and feigned worry as he put both his hands on his head. The teenager missed that playful side of him.

“I always made you break the rules.” Mark finally huffed a laugh.

“And I never tried to stop you from it.” Eric smiled fondly at him and opened his arms as an invitation for Mark to fall into them. “I missed you to bits.”

“Yeah, same here.” The teenager’s expression softened as he accepted his ex’s hug. They stayed in each other’s arms for a long minute. The chilly air that surrounded them, made the two appreciate the warmth of each other.

“What really brought you here, Ricky?” Mark asked softly, without breaking their embrace.

“Music.” He replied gently, his voice almost a whisper.

“Don’t lie to me.” Mark whispered back, as he leaned his head on his shoulder. They weren’t looking at each other’s eyes but the teenager knew that tone of voice. The idol was holding something back.

“Okay. There was something else, but now it’s only music. I swear.” Eric replied, as he ran his hand through the younger’s hair. At first he felt tempted to be genuinely honest and say _‘you’_ , instead of ‘ _something else’_ , but he didn’t think it was an appropriate answer at the moment.

“Then I’m glad you’re able to make your dream career come true.” Mark disentangled himself from him, but still kept their bodies close, when he kissed his cheek tenderly.

“You came to the party because you wanted to talk to me, right? It seemed pretty urgent. What was it about?” The idol asked quietly.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m practically single now.” Mark declared biting his lower lip. He was trying not to start sobbing in front of the older.

“What?! You have two gorgeous boyfriends! Don’t be stupid. Let’s go back to that party so you can take them home!” Eric eyed him with concern. He noticed how Mark’s shoulders tensed and how his eyes watered.

“Jackson broke up with me. Jinyoung is an asshole and we’re on a break.” Mark informed him, struggling to keep his feelings in check.

“Did I cause this?” Eric looked genuinely confused.

“Nah! Things were pretty fucked up even before you arrived. I could say that it was all Jinyoung’s fault, but the truth is, I let him go too far. I let myself go too far. I should’ve stopped playing his games before Jackson or Jaebeom got hurt. I should’ve never given him the tools to manipulate me.” Mark wiped a tear from the corner of his eyes before it streamed down his face.

“Jaebeom is the one Dorine thinks you’re hooking up with. How come?” Eric put a hand on his shoulder in a consoling way. Mark appreciated that.

“It’s a long and complicated story. She arrived at that conclusion by herself. The truth is, Jaebeom and I had no future. Things between us ended before it even began. I really care about JB, he’s very important to me, and I hope we truly become friends at some point. I’m grateful to him. He was there for me when I needed him. When you dumped me, when Jinyoung was being cruel, when I missed dad, Joey and felt abandoned by my mom. He made me feel like I mattered, and I could rely on him. I think I really wanted to fall for him, but I ended up falling for his brother. Hard.” Mark said simply, as another tear threatened to drop from his eyes.

“Too bad, huh?” Eric sounded sorry for him.

“It was not a choice, you know? It just happened. Jaebeom would certainly be the best option if I had to pick one of the twins. He’s the kind of person that any guy or girl would surely be delighted to have as a boyfriend. And then there’s Jin…He’s wicked, manipulative, petty, greedy and driven. I knew he was bad news since the beginning. People told me about it, I witnessed it. But falling for him was not a rational process. I hated him for quite a while, then suddenly I started longing for him. The way he looked at me blinded me. I could swear that there was something more in those magnetic eyes, something no one was able to reach yet. I wanted him to be mine, every single part of him and I wanted him to feel the same. I desperately needed him to love me too. It was simply madness.” Mark looked away, hoping that his words made sense to the other.

“So Wang was third wheeling all this time?” Eric seemed curious to know.

“I love Jack, he’s very special to me, and that will never change. I didn’t lie to him when I told him how I felt. I adore Jia Er. But I guess we both realized I love Jin more.” Mark replied sadly. He wished he had not broken the Hongkonger’s heart the way he did, but he knew deep down that sooner or later, that would have happened.

“If I were in your shoes, I would have picked the Chinese, you know.” The idol arched his eyebrows and grinned to Mark, trying to lighten up the mood.

“I bet you would! Something tells me you enjoyed every single moment of that prank. And believe me, I’m not okay with it.” The teenager narrowed his eyes at him, but grinned back. Eric had a flashback of the kiss the Hongkonger and he shared at the party, but he decided not to comment on it. He abruptly changed the subject.

“I saw your mom at the hospital a couple of days ago. She told me to stay away from her school and to keep my distance from you. She also told me that her stepson was in love with you and you felt the same. She wasn’t happy about it. But I guess she only told me that in order to discourage my supposed romantic intentions towards you. I don’t know, maybe she thought I’d kidnap you and take you back to America.” Eric shook his head as he remembered her ranting.

“I can’t believe she dared to contact you! She’s a piece of work that woman. I’ll tell her to leave you alone.” Mark rolled his eyes at him and folded his arms across his chest as they walked back to the car.

“Oh, please don’t! What’s the fun in that? Her nagging felt like the old days. I missed that too.” The idol chuckled as they finally got inside the car.

“Talking about moms, how are your parents doing? I really miss your mom’s cookies. Are they okay with you being here doing music? I mean, how did you manage to convince them, college boy? Wait, what did you do about UCLA? You still had like 2 years to finish it, right?” The curious teenager brought up an issue the idol didn’t feel comfortable to discuss with him now.

“Forget about my family and college for now. We’re talking about you Mister, not me. Do not change the subject.” Eric’s expression tensed a bit.

“But I also wanna know about you! I’m not the only one who has changed. During the _Never Have I Ever_ game, you got me worried. You actually tried to off yourself?” Mark asked tentatively. Eric never kept secrets from him, and since they were having a friendly talk, almost like the old days, the teenager wanted him to open up.

“Jesus Christ, Mark!” Eric’s disturbed look warned the teenager not to push him. Yet, Mark never knew how to stop. His challenging stare was a signal that he wouldn’t just drop that subject.

“Can you explain to me why you took the shot!? Actually, you took more shots than I expected. You basically told everyone at the party that you’re still in love with me! What’s your deal, huh?” An intrigued Mark wanted answers he wasn’t ready to hear.

“There’s a taxi coming our way. Let’s get out of here.” Eric stated firmly as he moved to open the door of the car again, but Mark pulled him back and stared hard into his eyes.

“ _Never have I ever fallen out of love with my first love_. That was the claim. Everyone expected JB to take the goddam shot but you’re the one who did it. How is that not a confession? Are you really here because of your career or I do have something to do with it?” Mark demanded in a serious tone.

“You’re wrong. You’re not my first love.” Eric sighed in frustration when Mark’s grip on his arm tightened a bit.

“When my brother introduced me to you, you were barely out of the closet. You never told me about this other person. Cut the crap, Ricky! Tell me who was your first love!” The relentless teenager wouldn’t let him go that easily. The idol had no way to run. Truth had to come out.

“Joey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems only 2Jae survived this party!XD  
> What are your thoughts on it, fellow readers?


	36. Never Ending Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First best is falling in love. Second best is being in love. Least best is falling out of love. But any of it is better than never having been in love. ~ Maya Angelou

"Look, if this is another prank I swear to God-"

"Do I look like I'm joking here?" An upset Eric said as he pointed to the bridge. Mark looked confused, struggling to comprehend what the other was saying.

"I don't understand." The American’s incredulity was etched on his face. He furrowed his brows, still unable to grasp the situation. They saw another taxi pass by the road, but neither of them paid much attention to it, none of them moved. Eric took a couple of deep breaths while Mark only shook his head in disbelief and confusion. The idol ran a hand through his hair before he spoke again. 

"Never have I ever told you that he was the one I tried to kiss first. Never have I ever I told you that your mother saw me leaning onto him. Never have I ever told you that Joey rejected me and told me to leave. Never have I ever told you that when I met you I could only see a version of him that was into me. Never have I ever told you that I thought of him when I watched you sleep. Never have I ever told you that whenever I touched you and closed my eyes I could picture I was with him. Never have I ever told you that I wanted to come clean, but you were already in my arms, wildly carefree. Never have I ever told you that I really tried to focus on you, but he still was all that I could see. Never have I ever told you that I considered you the nearest shoreline to my untouchable sea. Never have I ever told you that when I confessed to you I aimed to keep you close, just to chain him. Never have I ever told you that when he died I thought that holding onto you was the key. Never have I ever told you that I used you as a replacement but not a remedy. Never have I ever told you that merging you two in one was something I could not foresee. Never have I ever told you that I painfully missed the tune of his piano, but it was your vibrant voice I longed to hear. Never have I ever told you that he was my first love, yet it was you who brought me here. Never have I ever told you that the image of your face comforted me, and at some point ceased to be his. Never have I ever told you that music was my goal, but you became my dream. Never have I ever told you that when we broke up, I really meant to disappear. Never have I ever told you that I once came to this bridge to reach him, but it was you who saved me. Never have I ever told you that I ceased to see you as a mere copy, or as the living embodiment of his deformity. Never have I ever told you that I know now my feelings for Joey lies in the lap of infinity, but the maddening flame you ignited in me, will remain at least, for eternity." Nam quieted down and leaned his face forward, resting it on the steering wheel of the car. The teenager was astonished, unable to say anything for a long minute.

"I'm gonna ask you again. What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Can't you answer my question like a normal person? Are you composing a song or something? Stop talking in riddles and explain yourself!" Mark's face was already transformed. He asked those questions in a collected voice, as if he delayed hi explosion. His skeptical expression was replaced by a look of stoic resignation. He wasn't screaming or gripping the older's arm anymore. He remained silent during the idol's monologue, trying to figure out if he was serious or not. Yet, now that the idol stopped talking, he thought he had an idea of what the other meant.

"Do you want me to write it down?" The other whispered, still facing the floor of the car.

"Joey would have told me! He wouldn't let you use me-"

"I convinced him that I was just confused about our friendship. You know how gullible he was! I assured him that I was not interested in him, that what I felt for you was real." Eric confessed, as he pressed his forehead further into the steering wheel.

"Was it fun to make me believe all this time that someone who knew my brother first could possibly fall for me instead of him?" Mark asked in a bitter tone without taking his eyes from the other.

"Have you listened to what I just said?" Eric finally lifted his head to meet his gaze.

"If Joey was the love of your life why the hell didn't you jump from this fucking bridge, huh? Don't you wanna reunite with him anymore? Han River is right over there! Go die already and see if I care! Give little brother my regards!" The enraged teenager gritted his teeth and pointed to the illuminated bridge before them. He didn’t want to lash out just yet, he wanted to understand how Eric’s love for Joey happened before his eyes and he was unable to notice. But Mark didn’t know how to keep his cool in situations like that. He could understand why his parents loved Joey more, yet, he couldn’t conceive the fact that Eric, his boyfriend at the time, was just like them. That idea corroded him inside.

"Mark, please. Don't say that. You don't mean that." The other's pleading voice annoyed the younger even more.

"Who are you seeing right in front of you now, huh? I'm not my twin, Eric. Joey is dead. I killed him, remember? How could you stay with me after what I did? After the accident you could've turned your back on me, hated me. Why did you kept using me? Because I looked like him?" Mark's voice cracked. “Wow, no wonder we never had sex! You were probably too afraid to scream his name while we were at it.”

"You’re wrong! I respected you, I wanted to wait for you. That’s why we never slept together. You know me! You know that! And yes, you were all I had left of him. Then you were all I cared about. I was already in love with you, Mark. How could I ever walk away from you? He was gone, but you survived. If I stayed in the first place, it was because I needed you. You were his spitting image, a replica of his body, but with another soul. And that’s what fascinated me about you." Eric's expression was full of anguish.

"You are the most fucked up individual I have ever met. You disgust me." Mark retorted, as he glared at the idol.

"Mark, I didn't mean to hurt you. It started wrong, but at the end it felt right, you know? You became my second love. At some point, you made me doubt whether what I felt for him was even love! I thought that I couldn’t really have loved him if I was falling for you so fast! But then it hit me, getting attached to your brother was a mistake, but falling for you was the correction of that mistake." The idol tried to reason with the teenager. However, Mark didn't think he made any sense at all.

_“Never have I ever fallen out of love with my first love.”_ Mark reminded him in a mocking tone. “That means you did and you still love him, motherfucker. _”_

“Yeah, Markie! I still love him, because he was the bridge that connected me to you! I’ll never forget Joey because of that.” Eric said exasperated.

"How convenient! You had no chance with the straight twin so you chased after the gay one. Should I thank you for putting up with me all those years? You must be proud of yourself for tolerating all my issues and imperfections! By the way, how come a walking deformity like me kept you from killing yourself. I’m curious to know how I exactly saved you. Can you tell me how?!"A sarcastic Mark demanded firmly, as he narrowed his eyes at the older.

"I was so hurt to hear that you had cheated that I regretted loving Joey less. After the break up I even imagined that it was easier to reach him, instead of you. I was so disappointed with my life choices that I believed that chasing a ghost made sense! That taking my own life would be the best way out of that pain. Therefore, I came here. I looked down this very bridge. I held onto one picture you had taken of me and Joey together. I stared at it for a moment. And then, I remembered that the twin who wasn't in the picture, was still in the picture. You were still alive, Mark. Joey wasn't. He was not in the current picture anymore! And I knew, he wouldn’t want you to lose anyone else. I wouldn’t want to cause you more grief either. You never dealt well with it.” Eric declared honestly.

"Do you even realize you're talking like a royal asshole right now? You weren’t the only one suffering after the break up! You could’ve forgiven me, talked to me! I wanted to patch things up with you. The fact that you were mad because of a one-night stand that never actually happened is ridiculous! We could’ve been together right now!" The teenager retorted. He couldn't believe his own ears.

"Mark, I believed that the long distance relationship would work out! Yet, I came to this country just to find out that you had betrayed me! I thought you were partying and drinking like before. I was a mess after I cut ties with my family and joined South Korea's entertainment business. I hated you for your infidelity, and for making me risk everything. For making me trust myself enough to throw my parents’ expectations out of the window. I blamed you for every single thing that went wrong since I decided to leave America.” Eric’s eyes seemed distant as he recollected those dark times.

“I didn’t know.” The teenager muttered, trying to make sense of all that story. He asked himself if it was useless to be so angry Eric now. After all, whatever happened between them was in the past. However, Mark couldn’t help but realize that fate was the one that had cheated on them. The idol actually, never had anything remotely romantic with Joey, and Mark hadn’t slept with Jinyoung at Yugyeom’s house. Perhaps, they just weren’t supposed to be. He once loved Eric Nam, Eric Nam, maybe, at some degree, loved him as well. Fate happened, their love ended. End of story. Mark thought that it would have been simpler for everybody if the idol kept that secret to himself. Now the teenager doubted all the beautiful memories they had created back in LA. He wondered if he was the only one who thought they were beautiful. And if he was indeed the only one, those so called memories were partially fake. And that hurt.

“The funny part is that deep down, I knew I was the one who had betrayed you first. You were honest with me, even though it was hard for you to tell me about that party. Yet, I never told you about my first love. I knew I had to tell you the truth too, about my feelings for your brother. I had to see you again. I couldn't join Joey without doing so. Then I abandoned this bridge and reconsidered my attempt. As soon as I did, I felt this urge to hear you call my name once again." Eric’s voice was almost a whisper now. The teenager hated to see his ex so fragile. The older had always been his rock, and Mark couldn’t help but think that he was just as weak as any other human being. His superman was an illusion. That guy who he once thought was his prince charming, suddenly came undone right before him. It irked the younger the fact that Eric Nam was neither immortal, nor indestructible, as he liked to think.

"Well, now that I know, now that you finally opened up, now that you’re conscience is clear and you already heard my fucking voice, you can jump, Ricky." Mark said mercilessly. He didn’t really meant it, but he was used to hurt people who hurt him. Whether it was with words or fists, the teenager had to strike back.

"Memento mori, Mark." Eric said and smiled at him bitterly. "The first time I saw this sentence leave your mouth was when I showed you that last photo you took of me and Joey a few weeks before he passed."

"So?" The younger's tone was full of dissatisfaction. He didn’t want to discuss the past anymore, every single chapter of his past that involved Joey, was stained with death. The good memories were pure torture now. He had permanently erased Joey’s chapters. There would be no sequel for him. Mark felt like he had shortened the participation of his brother in the book of his life, and he would never get a second chance to rewrite the chapters he shared with him.

"I figured that if death was inevitable, if I had to remember that I must die in a way or another, sooner or later, I would have to remember to live first, at least before my time came. Why should I hurry then? Someone we both know, once told us, ‘memento vivere’. On this bridge, I have realized that I hadn't really lived. I did what my parents wanted for God knows how long! Then I signed up to be your prince charmimg, the one who would come to South Korea and rescue you from your mom. But the truth is, you didn't need rescuing this time. You were fine without me and I don't think I ever got what I really craved for. I hadn't achieved nothing of my own. Then I vowed to dedicate my life to music and music only, till I felt completely fulfilled. I promised myself that I would meet you again and that I wouldn't be so sore anymore. Because I had music, and you drove me to it. You taught me to dare and to be bold. Because of you, I was brave enough to grasp my future with my very own hands. I should appreciate life, accepting its twists and ephemerality. Your memento mori motto, molded your whole view of people’s mortality. You base all your recklessness, haste and bluntness on it. I see things a bit differently. Memento vivere is an ideal I can live by. I shall live, while I’m alive." The idol said, almost proudly, and he knew that Mark was aware that he was quoting his twin brother with that last sentence.

_~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

He was very nervous about one of his recitals. He had practiced ‘ _Come, Sweet Death’_ , by Johann Sebastian Bach for a thousand times, and Mark was dead tired to hear the same piece for weeks. He wasn’t a piano lover, but he really appreciated everything his brother played. However, hearing those same notes echoing in the house every single day was already driving him nuts. He tried to tell his brother that it was enough, that he should take a break and go outside, live a little. Yet, Joey wouldn’t listen to him.

Mark believed that even if they went out and hit the beach, Joey would still nail his performance when the time came. Eric thought the same, but not Joey. The boy was so stressed that he was unable to allow himself a break. His wrists, forearm and back hurt, but he couldn’t stop practicing. He had to be perfect, because his parents and everyone else expected that from him, perfection. The boy was constantly challenging himself. He didn’t do it just to for the applause, he aimed to surpass his own skills. He was ambitious about music, and sometimes he would take his ambition too far.

They were in the living room when Eric suggested a bet. Mark liked the sound of that. If Joey went to the beach with them and sucked at his recital later, Mark would have to take piano lessons again. However, if Joey went to the beach with them and even after that, did a great performance, he would have to get a tattoo. Although he hated to think of going back to those boring piano classes he had abandoned years ago, Mark wasn’t afraid of losing that bet. He was sure his brother would be brilliant, even if he took a break that afternoon. On the other hand, Joey was not very sure if he could get a tattoo in case the pair was right. His parents would go crazy if they found out, and he couldn’t even imagine the pain of a needle being dragged across his skin. However, there wouldn’t be anything more devastating than failing at his recital. Mark and Eric told Joey that he should trust them, so he did what they wanted. Miraculously, the boy just got into a car and enjoyed a nice summer afternoon on the beach.

Later that day, Joey took the audience’s breath away. He was flawless at his recital, just like Eric and his brother said he would be. He was stunned, happy and scared at the same time. He made everyone who believed in him proud, and he felt accomplished too, but still, he would have to get a tattoo. Eric and Mark had won the bet. Since Joey was still 16, his brother paid someone at school to forge a written consent from his parents. He had done it before, after all, he had gotten tattoos previously, even being a minor himself. When the trio got into a tattoo studio, Mark aimed for something extravagant, something to shock people, since Joey had always been such a goody two-shoes. At first, he wanted his brother to get a large skull and crossbones tattoo on his shoulder, a Jolly Roger kind of image that could give Joey a more rebel look. The latter protested, he claimed that it felt ‘illegal’ to have such a symbol covering his skin. The two brothers almost got into an argument in the tattoo studio. Eric told Mark to let his brother choose what he wanted, after all, he was already getting a tattoo, so it was just fair to let him get the one he felt comfortable with. Only then, his boyfriend finally relented. Joey suggested that they should get matching tattoos. Eric adamantly refused to do it, he could legally get one, since he was almost 19, yet, he knew his parents were totally against it. Mark had already gotten tattoos before, but he would only agree with his brother’s idea if the chosen tattoo was big and bold. He wouldn’t have his skin inked with some sort of small and delicate pattern. The brothers settled for a criss-cross tattoo with flowers. Mark was a bit resistant at first, he didn’t want the flowery thing adorning the interior of his cross, but Joey convinced him that it could have a religious interpretation, and if their parents found out, they could say it represented their strong faith in God.

“What the fuck, Joey! They’ll know we’re lying. I don’t believe in God.” Mark huffed a laugh.

“He believes in you.” Joey said with a grin.

“Jesus Christ, that’s one of the lamest things I’ve ever heard you say.” Mark rolled his eyes at him.

“Did you just say Christ? I thought you weren’t a believer, Markie!” Eric teased.

The three of them laughed. Their glee resonated through the tattoo studio.

“How are we gonna call our matching tattoos?” An animated Joey asked.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Joey. People don’t name their tattoos. They’re not pets!” Mark made a face and sighed.

“Well, I’m calling mine _memento vivere_. To honor this moment.” The pianist declared.

“What?” Nam looked puzzled.

“It’s Latin for _remember to live._ I think it fits the occasion.” Joey replied.

“How so?” Mark eyed his twin with incredulity.

“Whenever I look at this tattoo, I’ll remember the beach, and both of you. I really enjoyed hanging out with my brother and my best friend before the recital. I really needed the distraction. Sometimes I get too focused on entertaining other people. You know, it’s nice to hear people saying how impeccably my performance sounded, but they have no idea how much of the lovely things in life I must sacrifice to achieve that. You guys made me realize that I didn’t have to sacrifice that much. At least not today. Today I lived more than most of my days. This tattoo will be a reminder, that I must enjoy life while it courses through my veins. I shall live, while I’m alive.” Joey said lively as he sat on a chair, ready to have his ribs inked.

“That’s deep! Only you can come up with a life lesson just after spending some hours on the beach. How about you Little Rooster? Any significant reminder pops into your mind?” Eric asked with curiosity. Mark simply shook his head.

“I’ll think about it later. Let’s do this!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hard time editing this flashback. It turned into a double update.  
> Hope u don't get too tired reading it. Mark's current journey will return soon.
> 
> Take care ya'll.
> 
> Stay safe at home dear readers.


	37. Karma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What can I tell you about the alchemy of twins? Twins are two bodies that dance to each other’s joy. Two minds that drown in each other’s despair. Two spirits that fly with each other’s love. Twins are two separate beings conjoined at the heart!" ~ Kamand Kojouri

A few weeks after they had gotten the tattoo, the accident happened. The terrible tragedy that caused Joey and Raymond’s death. Dorine had just found out about the tattoo when her youngest son was at the hospital in a coma that he would never wake up from. She saw the same pattern on Mark’s calf and she abhorred it, she called him out.

“What’s the meaning of this? How could you let them ruin your brother’s precious skin?” she questioned.

“He’s gotten multiple fractures in his body, his skull is cracked open, he’s full of hematomas and you’re worried about a goddamn tattoo?” Mark unconsciously raised his voice. He wasn’t in the mood for a fight, but he knew that it would be impossible to avoid it. Both of them already knew that Raymond was gone and none of them were in their perfect state of mind at the moment. Dorine wanted to lash out, it was always better than crying.

“I hope you remember why his skull is cracked open and why his father is not here with us!” His mother retorted harshly, as she eyed him with contempt. Mark felt nauseated. He hadn’t registered his father’s death yet on his mind. Everything around him just didn’t seem real. It felt like a nightmare he longed to wake up from. He wasn’t properly blaming himself till his mother opened her mouth. The doctor had examined both him and Dorine, and physically, they were both fine. Yet, they were emotionally destroyed. Mark knew that he had ruined his family. His father was dead, and his brother looked more dead than alive. “Tell me when he got this ugly thing?” she insisted.

“Not long ago. It was just a dare. He called it his memento vivere.” Mark replied tiredly. He had no energy to defend himself of her anger.

A few hours later, Joey Tuan laid irresponsive in a hospital bed.

“The tattoo…It should be called memento mori, a reminder of death. That’s what I’ll remember every time I see the same tattoo on your calf.” His mother said out of the blue, as they both watched through a thick glass window, the doctors trying to keep Joey’s heart beating. Both mother and son seemed to be in shock. They weren’t crying or desperately screaming Joey’s name. Dorine had already taken some pills out of her purse when she heard about Raymond. When the doctor told her that Joey’s chance of survival was thin, she took some measures to prepare herself for the worst, more pills.

“What?” Mark eyed her in bewilderment. He could tell she had ‘medicated’ herself.

“Your brother didn’t remember to live. So you should remember why he died. It should’ve been you, not him, not them. Why did you take them from me, Mark? What did I ever do to you? Just look at your twin brother right now! How does it feel, to see a face just like yours, lifeless and still? Eyes that will no longer see, a mouth that will never speak, ears that will never listen? You robbed him of all that. Do not take your life for granted, son. Don’t you dare! Take a good look at your dead brother. This is what’s going to happen to you someday. This is how you’ll look like. Do not forget it, cause it won’t forget you. Memento mori.” An anesthetized Dorine warned him, in a somber tone.

Enormously disturbed by his mother’s words at such a critical moment, a horrified Mark puking all over the floor. He had a panic attack a few minutes later, and fainted. When he woke up in one of the rooms of the hospital, a devastated Eric was beside his bed. Mark knew immediately that his boyfriend had already heard about Raymond and Joey. He sat up on the bed and started crying uncontrollably. Eric shed some tears too. He had promised himself not to break down in front of his boyfriend, but it was no use.

“It will be all right Markie, you and I…We’ll get through this. Of course we will, together.” His boyfriend whispered softly as he wrapped his arms around him.

“No, we won’t. It’s in my skin, it’s never gonna disappear. I can’t bear it, Ricky. It hurts too much.” A weeping Mark whined as he buried his face in the other’s chest.

“I know, I know. But you’ve gotta listen to me, love. You’re not alone in this, okay? Don’t you ever think for a single second that you’re alone in this pain. And I promise you, we’ll recover from it together, I’m never leaving your side.” The older reassured him, as he held both sides of his face with his hands, making the other look into his eyes.

“Y-you will d-die too. We all will.” Mark stuttered between sobs. The grief in his voice pierced Eric’s heart. It was too much, it was unbearable.

“Hey! What are you talking about? I’ll be deathless for you. As long as you’re by my side, my presence will be inextinguishable. My love for you is so strong, darling, that it makes me imperishable. Death will not tear us apart, I vow that to you. I love you.” Eric tried to console the younger, but he couldn’t contain his own sorrow. He wanted to be resilient, and convince his boyfriend that the pain would go away, that they would survive that tragedy. Yet, he knew that he himself, would have a hard time believing his own words. Joey was immensely important to him and at that moment, he could feel despair eating away at his hope of ever overcoming that loss.

“I shouldn’t be here! He should. I was driving the car, it’s my fault. He doesn’t deserve to be dead, neither of them. I’m a useless piece of shit, whilst Joey…Everybody loved him. Everybody will wish it was me. What about my dad!? What kind of son repays a parent who raised and brought him up with death?! This wasn’t supposed to happen! It’s unfair and absurdly wrong. I killed my fucking father and my brother, Eric! I’m a murderer, I should be in jail.” A miserable Mark muttered and he bit his lower lip. Eric watched for his breathing, he was aware that the younger was striving to keep himself from hyperventilating.

“No! No! It was an accident. Everybody knows it! You didn’t do it on purpose. Mark, when you called me and told me about the accident I was so relieved to hear your voice, to know that you were all right! I came running here like a crazy guy and I couldn’t even think straight before I saw you in one piece with my own eyes. I’m sad about Joey and your dad. I can’t start to imagine how you’re feeling right now, but know this, I’m thankful to you for surviving this, for being here with me now. I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost both of you…” Eric insisted, but the fact that Mark had drank bothered him to no end. He was aware that Dorine Tuan would probably find her son a great lawyer, yet, she wouldn’t let Mark forget about that day. He was almost certain that she was the reason Mark had fainted before he arrived. He wouldn’t blame Mark for the alcohol, nor for speeding up the car, nor for overtaking on a bend. His mother would do all that and more, in the meanest way possible. Eric was convinced of that and he pitied him for it.

“Do you still have it?” Mark whispered to him. The idol eyed him in confusion. “The photo we took the day the matching tattoos were complete.” Mark asked, making his boyfriend frown at him. When Eric pulled his wallet out of his pocket and opened it, the photo was there. He handed it to Mark, who studied it and ran his fingers across the image.

“This was the last picture I took of him before he died.”

“Do you want it back? I mean, you can have it.” Eric offered, as he eyed his boyfriend with sympathy.

“No. I have the matching tattoo on my calf. That shall be my last connection with my twin, and I must not forget him while I breathe. Memento mori.”

_~~~~~~~~~~End of Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Fuck you and your carpe diem shit. Stay away from me, and my friends. Pretend you don’t know me when you see me at Kirin High. Take me home, Eric. I wanna go home, now!" An exasperated Mark commanded. He pretended not to remember Joey too much. He wasn’t prepared for that. That party had already mentally worn him down. He didn’t need to reminisce the past at that hour, on that bridge, with his ex-boyfriend. He wanted to leave that place, that car and forget that day ever happened. Therefore, as soon as he himself turned the key in the ignition, the car started. His burning glare made the surprised idol immediately hit the accelerator and get the car moving.

Mark wasn't sure if Nam had lied about the car trouble earlier. However, what really perplexed the teenager was the fact that Eric knew exactly where he lived. He had given the idol the Lim's address during one of their Skype sessions, but the older drove him there like it wasn't the first time he stopped by that neighborhood.

Mark didn't say anything when his ex parked his Maserati in front of the Lim's residence. The trip was silent, and so was its the end. The teenager just silently opened the door of the car and walked away. Eric didn't say anything either. They were too exhausted to fight. The idol wasn't able to be coherent enough to send his message across, and Mark refused to hear his excuses. Still, he waited till the teenager entered the house before he started the car again and drove away.

When he entered the house, it looked empty. It was too early for Dorine and Taek geun to be at school, but they could've left earlier to attend to some important issue at Kirin High. What puzzled the teenager was the fact that probably none of them noticed that he hadn't slept in his room. If they did, hell would break loose. As soon as he left Nam's car, he there would be an infuriated Dorine waiting for him at the entryway, ready to give him the third degree. However, there was no one there. He couldn't help but wonder why. Eventually, the teenager brushed those thoughts away. His cellphone wasn't with him, and for some reason he felt relieved not to have to answer any calls or texts from people. He was tired as hell. It was already 6AM and all he wanted after that absurd party was to get some sleep. So, he threw himself on the sofa and immediately closed his eyes. It was around noon that the phone of the house started ringing.

"Hello?" Mark asked as soon as he picked up the phone. He planned to ignore its ringing, but it was persistent and annoying.

"You're finally home! Where have you been? Why didn't you pick up your cell phone?" Dorine's voice was controlled, but Mark knew that something was wrong. And the first thought that came to his mind, was what he most feared.

"What is it? What happened? Oh, God, is it Jinyoung? I knew shouldn’t have left that way. Is he okay? Just tell me already!" Mark asked quickly as anxiety threatened to take the best of him. He didn’t even realize that he had just let Dorine know how worried he sounded about his stepbrother. A long minute passed before his mother replied him.

"The video, the texts and the photos are not a secret anymore. Do not come to school. Wait for me at the house and do not go out before I get there.” Dorine warned him in a serious tone. The American’s heart skipped a beat.

“Mom, tell me-”

“Yi-en, listen to your mother for once in your life and do as I say. Do not talk to anyone, don’t see anyone and don’t go anywhere. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She said at once and abruptly hung up on him.

The teenager never believed in karma. Mark was never religious. He was one of those people who believed in nothing that relied in faith. However, now he wondered if the sum of his evil doings in his previous lives, was causing all that chaos around him. When he thought that no event could end up worse as Eric Nam’s party, whatever happened at Kirin High hours later, seemed to have topped it. Thousands of scenarios crossed his mind. He wondered if Jinyoung was the culprit. He imagined that maybe the young Lim divulged their private life as a revenge for their break. Then he wondered if the soccer team was responsible for it, or maybe Zico’s ex-girlfriend, the one who drove JB to the school’s rooftop. Maybe she wasn’t too happy when she learned that he called her a bitch at the party. He knew Bambam talked too much, but he was neither stupid, nor heartless. He didn’t believe that Jackson, Jaebeom, Youngjae or Yugyeom could be responsible for it either. But Mark needed to know who did it. He wondered what would happen now that his stepfather probably knew about all the things that have been happening at his school. He had to know how Taekgeun took the news. The teenager worried about his mom’s behavior on the pone. Dorine would usually force Mark to face the consequence of his acts, and now she basically told him to hide. He couldn’t have that. He would find out what was going on. He had to stop by Kirin High and see for himself what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a short one!:)  
> I'm sure u guys are missing the other boys. Got7 will be reunited soon.  
> Probably next chapter.  
> Don't worry.
> 
> Have a nice weekend fellow Ahgases!<3


	38. I'm All Ears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before.” ~Anonymous

When Mark reached the gates of Kirin High he started getting cold feet. He suddenly felt like turning away and going back home. There was a police car in front of the school, and the sight of it made him shudder. He had been inside one of them once, and it wasn’t a very nice experience. He obviously felt tempted to follow Dorine’s order now and wait for her at home. But anxiety kept him from moving. His feet seemed to be glued to the ground. After his mom hung up on him, he tried to remember at least one of his friends’ numbers, but it was impossible to recall them. They were all saved in the contact list of his cellphone and the teenager never thought that he would have to know, at least, one of them by heart until now. He swore to himself that once he retrieved his cellphone from Nam’s house, the first thing he would do was memorize all of Got7’s numbers. A wave of anguish ran through him when he thought about having to ask his ex about his cellphone. All Mark wanted was to keep his distance from the idol, but he didn’t seem to have much of a choice since Eric was still filming that stupid variety _Off to School_ in Kirin High. Mark was still disturbed by Eric’s revelation and he just wished that his mother would never had called the house. At least he would be able to sleep more, and stop ruminating on the true nature of his relationship with his first love. He didn’t want to resent the idol, he didn’t wanna curse their past. He just wanted to forget what was shared between them on that bridge. The teenager had been his twin’s shadow for many years, it was always difficult for people to focus on him when Joey was around. Mark thought Eric was different, he believed his first boyfriend was able to actually see him beyond Joey’s bright light. He felt like he had an identity when they were together. Eric knew him inside and out, he knew Joey too, but Mark liked to believe that he was the chosen one. He couldn’t be more wrong. Their relationship felt like a sweet illusion now. Happiness seemed like a mirage of an unreachable oasis, a distant spot where love and serenity could bloom, but he never seemed to get there. He felt like he had already died in the desert, too thirsty and too hungry to actually fight for survival. All he could do was hallucinate in the midst of chaos.

Mark took one last look at the gates of the school and turned away. Ignorance was a bless, he found that out hours ago. He should’ve never insisted on his questions. He should’ve never pressed Eric to explain the reason of his vodka shots during the _Never Have I Ever_ game. Sometimes it was better to be left in the dark. He didn’t feel like he had enough fight in him to deal with whatever was going on beyond those gates. He wanted to run away. Every step he took seemed to take him away from that forbidden oasis. Therefore, he decided to leave. However, as soon as he started walking away, three teenagers surrounded him.

"Hey, man! Where have you been? We've been trying to call you." Bambam asked in a hurry, as he approached the older. Something in his expression gave away the seriousness of the situation.

"Why? What's going on?" Mark was surprised, yet, somewhat relieved to see their faces.

"Classes were canceled this afternoon, just a while after the police arrived. Truth is, I wonder if this school will ever open again. Shit keeps happening here. All students were sent home, we stayed behind to offer our support." Yugyeom said quickly. Mark eyed him expectantly.

“Will you please explain-”

"Jack has been arrested." Youngjae added. His tone had a mix of sadness and apprehension.

"Why?!" Mark felt sick to his stomach.

"Several types of drugs were found in his locker. He says it's not his and we believe him. Someone put that shit in there just to get him in trouble." Yugyeom said quickly.

"When the police got here they already knew where to go. It seems some damn student tipped them off." Youngjae looked like he wanted to say more, but he didn't know how to choose his words. Fortunately, Bambam was not the type of hiding his own feelings.

"And that's not the only fucked up part of this whole story. A pen drive with your nudes, Jinyoung and Jackson’s messages about you, and the soccer team's hand job video was also found in his locker. Do you know what that means, Mark? He'll get the blame for what you and Jinyoung did. How’s that fair? I mean, I swear to God, man, if anyone asks me, I’ll be the first to tell the authorities that you recorded the damn video involving those players and Jinyoung was the one who took pictures of you after roofing your drink. Hell, for Jack’s sake I’ll even tell the police that you and your psychotic stepbrother are the actual ringleaders of child pornography in Kirin high." Bambam's accusatory tone took the American by surprise. The younger had never glared at him like that, yet, the American understood why he did it. But Mark would never let Jackson take the fall for what happened at the school office or for what Jinyoung did to him at Yugyeom’s party.

“Relax, okay? I lost my phone at the party. I didn’t know Jack was arrested. If I knew, I would’ve come here earlier. But I’m here now, and I swear I will fix this-”

“You’d better! Because one thing we always prized in Got6 is loyalty. I hope we don’t regret bringing you into our group.” Bambam spat. “Everything was pretty much quiet in this school before you arrived, Mark. Now cops are arresting innocent foreign students.” The Thai boy’s mouth didn’t have a filter. The American couldn’t help but narrow his eyes at him.

"Hey, Bam. Easy in there. Let's not start fighting among ourselves. We need to remain together right now and figure out what's going on." Youngjae stated firmly as he gave his dongsaeng a reproving look.

"Mark, where did you go after the party? Apart from Seokjin and the other players, did you piss anyone else you shouldn't have? I mean, this whole thing must be related to whatever happened at Nam's house, right?" Yugyeom was pensive as his eyes fixed on the American. The latter seemed lost for words for a second, but he eventually found his voice.

"If you guys think that this is happening because of something I did, why the hell they'd target Jackson and not me? Why the drugs and the pen drive weren’t found in my locker? I mean, even if they wanted to get to me by hurting Jack...It doesn't really make any sense. Jack and I broke up last night." Mark defended himself, but he was already thinking of ways to help the Hongkonger. The three teenagers eyed the upset American in disbelief as soon as he mentioned the ‘break up’ word. Yugyeom was the first to express his feelings about it.

“Sorry, hyung. We didn’t know.” The maknae said in a kind tone, but his best friend didn’t seem too broken about it.

"Honestly, it really looked exciting to see the three of you together in the beginning. Yet, I was sure this would happen sooner or later. I'm quite relieved for both of you. Deep down, I worried about this throuple stuff. I had the impression that somebody would end up dead if this kept going. It was clear that Jinyoung hyung wouldn't let this go too far-" 

"Jinyoung and I are on a break." Mark cut Bambam off, surprising the youngsters one more time.

"Now that’s some good news." Yugyeom declared quietly, then turned to the American. "It’s a pity you couldn’t keep Jack though. The guy clearly was head over heels for you… Look, I'm not saying it’s your fault, hyung. But you are the eldest. You should’ve stopped this thing a long time ago, before too many hearts got broken. A threesome was not one of the best decisions you’ve made since you arrived in the city, but getting in a relationship with your stepbrother and his friend with benefits was another level of unconventionality. I told you before, this isn’t America. I warned you to be careful and try to fit, follow the rules, and watch out for stuff like that. You three became easy targets for the soccer team, for anyone. You would have never made that video in the school office if those guys didn’t have anything to blackmail you with.” The maknae said without thinking, leaving the older agape.

“Oh, great, Gyeom! Blame it all on the depraved American, who’s culturally uneducated. Koreans do not have a single immoral bone in their bodies, right? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I certainly wasn’t the one who drugged, undressed and took intimate pictures of an unconscious minor-”

“Guys! Please! We gotta figure out how to help Sseunah! This is not helping him! It’s clear that we’re all freaked out by what happened, but we must stay focused on what really matters right now.” Youngjae yelled and the others finally relented.

"Now who the fuck in this school could do something like that to Jack? Everybody loves the guy! We cannot even implicate those stupid soccer players because, as far as we know, they didn't want that jerking off video falling in the wrong hands. Who would set him up? Where do we even start?" Bambam was clearly upset with the situation. Mark had never seen the younger like that. It made him realize how the Thai boy appreciated the Hongkonger. He himself knew he should’ve appreciated him more.

“Where’s Jinyoung and Jaebeom?” Mark demanded nervously.

“They are in the teacher’s room with the police. Your mom and Mr. Lim are also there. Actually, they’ve been in there for a while. We wanted to wait for them to come out, but some cops told us to leave.” A concerned Youngjae replied.

“I’m going in there. You three should go home. I fill you guys in later.” Mark announced as he crossed the main gate of the school. The youngsters stared at him with anguish in their eyes.

“We wanna help! What do we do in the meantime?” Bambam asked after him.

“Pray if you are the praying kind, or simply find a lawyer!” Mark shouted back as he waved them goodbye and disappeared inside the school building.

The school hallway was quiet. Mark took a deep breath before he started climbing the stairs that led to the teachers’ room. He wasn’t crawling back and forth in a desert. He knew exactly where he was and what he needed to do. Now he knew what to expect, and he would do whatever he could to get Jackson out of that situation.

He saw an officer standing by the door when he approached the room.

“Do you happen to be Mark Tuan?” the intimidating man asked.

“Y-yeah.” Mark swallowed.

“You surely took your time. They’ve been waiting for you. Go inside.” The police officer said as he opened the door for the teenager. The teenager nodded and took a deep breath to prepare himself for whatever he was about to face.

When Mark entered the room, all eyes immediately fixed on him. Jaebeom, Jinyoung, his mother and his stepfather were there sitting at the large table in the middle of the room, but it was someone else's presence that caught his full attention. J.Y. Park was there too. Sitting at the end of the table. He was extremely well dressed and the smug look on his face made him seem even more presumptuous than usual. For some reason he looked quite satisfied with Mark's arrival. A vexed Dorine inhaled as soon as her son showed up at the door. She massaged her temples as if a huge headache was about to overwhelm her. Jaebeom and Jinyoung were obviously tense, but Mark could read something else in their expression, hopelessness.

"I thought you had told him to stay home." Taek Geun's voice was the first to kill the silence in the room. The American’s heart skipped a beat. Mr. Lim fixed his eyes on Dorine and then on him. The principal's expression was not amicably and the teenager was aware that Park's presence wasn't the only reason for his surly look. He knew everything. His stepfather knew all about his extracurricular activities with the twins. Mark could almost guess why his mother wanted him to stay home.

"He never listens to what I say. Maybe if I told him to come, he would have stayed home. There's nothing I can do about it." The guiding counselor of Kirin High replied frustrated.

"Where did they take Jackson? I wanna see him. I'm gonna tell the police that I was the one who made the video and Jinyoung will also-"

"That's very honorable of you, Mark. Being truthful is a virtue. Doing all you can to save a friend is admirable. But being stupid, can get you in serious trouble." J.Y.P. finally spoke, giving him an scrutinizing look.

"Jinyoung, where the fuck is Jackson?!" Mark asked again, this time a bit more energetically. He ignored the CEO as he walked in his stepbrother’s direction. However, Dorine stood up and blocked his passage, keeping him from coming closer to the other.

"He's in another room. An officer has him. He's fine. Now sit down, or this is gonna end bad for all of us." She said seriously, as she pointed to a chair beside her. "If you really love Wang, you will listen to us first, before you go off the rails. Think before you act for once in your life. We are all here to find the best solution to help him."

Mark dismissed the urgency in his mother's tone and refused to obey her. He seemed to be having a staring contest with the woman, until someone at the table cleared their throat. The teenager blinked several times before he glanced at Taek Geun. The man's eyes held a coldness that Mark had never seen before. The American was unable to hold his glare for too long. The principal raised an eyebrow at him, and signaled him to take the seat that was offered by Dorine. Only then, the teenager kept his mouth shut and sat down.

"Bad parenting is a curse. It's no wonder kids are murdering their parents nowadays. In the Tuans case, the father was already taken care of, perhaps you’re next?" The CEO asked mercilessly, as his eyes travelled from Mark to Dorine. The latter's face paled.

"Hey! Take your eyes of my fucking mother! Why the hell are you looking at her for? It's me you've been waiting for, right?! You have me now. If Jackson is in trouble and you are here, you’re probably the cause and the solution to it. Just tell me what this is about, I’m all ears." Mark's voice raised and he looked like he would deck JYP at any second, but before he could stand up, Taek-geun's firm voice echoed in the room.

"Remain seated. You have already caused enough trouble, Tuan Yi-en. Stay silent and mind your manners! Show some respect for Christ sake! Prove to him that your mom and Raymond Tuan raised you better than this." His stepfather's commanding voice surprised him. Mr. Lim remembered the first time he met Mark at the counselor's room. The teenager was arguing with Dorine and throwing stuff around the place. The only moment Mark seemed to keep his feelings in check was when his mom mentioned Raymond's name. He never forgot that scene. He hoped it would work now too.

"I'm listening." Mark declared and lowered his eyes. He didn't lift them, not even when JB's gentle voice reached his ears.

"Mark, you don't have to agree to any of this-"

"Lim Jaebeom, your grandfather wants to speak." Mr. Lim silenced his son, while he himself struggled to keep his composure. He knew that the police wasn’t there only for Jackson. Things didn’t look good neither for Jinyoung, nor for Mark. Possibly, the CEO was the only one who could save the youngsters from a possible arrest. Taek-Geun would tolerate the old man for now, since he aimed to obtain his aid. Unwillingly, he signaled the old Park to continue.

"Your friend Jackson is facing serious charges, young man. Police would have enough proof to keep him locked up for quite a while if he was Korean. Yet, he's a foreigner, right? Once he's sent back to Hong Kong, I believe things will look gloomier for him. Authorities in there are even stricter than ours. We cannot forget about the shame his family would carry for the rest of their lives! His parents would not recover from that. Their son, who once was a blooming fencing champion, turns out to be a sex offender!? Poor kid. He would have to say goodbye to scholarships, Olympic Games, and glory." JYP felt accomplished when he noticed the expression of concern on Mark's features deepen.

"He already understands what's at stake here. You made your goddam point. Just stop beating around the bush! Tell us what you can do for us and the price of it." Now it was Jinyoung's turn to speak. He shoot daggers at his grandfather across the table. Mr. Lim exhaled. Park grinned and continued.

"I can make all of this go away, kid. The charges, your heavy conscience, the injustice of it all!" Park exclaimed nodding his head.

"How?" Mark whispered, as he lifted his eyes to meet Park's.

"We all know my grandson resembles me in many ways. But I know, he's gone too far when he took those inappropriate pictures of you. I do not approve that kind of behavior. It’s disgraceful. Jiyeong would be disappointed in you, young man." Park said as he glanced at his grandson, whose eyes immediately watered. "If you think about it, Junior, we wouldn't even be in this room right now if it wasn't for those photos. It all started with you. Mark wouldn't have recorded that shameful video in the school office if you hadn't drugged, undressed and posed him for those vicious photos. Mark would never have to blackmail the soccer players if you and Wang weren't stupid enough to text each other about threesomes with your own stepbrother! You gave your enemies enough data to damage your own future. You are your own enemy, son. It's not the first time I have to clean up your mess. And this will end today." The old man spat, as he vigorously hit the table. Jinyoung gritted his teeth. He couldn’t deny that his grandfather was right. Taek-geun took a deep breath. He didn’t like the way JYP talked to his son, but he wouldn’t interfere now. He needed to know more. The principal was trying hard not to antagonize the CEO, because he didn’t know what was purpose yet. He knew what the old man was capable of, and he had to keep his serenity in order to maintain that discussion on a civil level. He also knew Jinyoung deserved to hear those things. Although he hated his former father in law, the revelations made on that morning drove the principal to believe that he did not know how much his youngest son had changed after the divorce. He even wondered if Park was forcing Jinyoung to lie and confirm all those insanities coming out of his mouth. Mark's involvement in all that mess was a tremendous shock, and the principal didn't really know how to feel about that. He doubted that something serious could really be happening between his son and stepson. He was finding hard to believe JYP’s revelations, but he knew that even if they weren’t true, the old man could make them become real. His money often made that possible. They needed to play his game carefully.

"Stop it! I know what you're doing. I've been seeing my brother do that for a while. After all, he learned from the best! You manipulated my mother, blackmailed my father and caused my parents' divorce! You destroyed our family and I'm not gonna let you do that again!" Jaebeom yelled, as he put a hand on his twin's shoulder and gave his grandfather a challenging look.

"You were always my favorite, Jaebeom. Sensible and mature enough for your age. It's a pity you took your father's side when the divorce happened. Your mother and I would have loved to have you there in the mansion, you know, at least to say goodbye to her when the time came. But you cut ties with my daughter because of that Choi kid, right? I wonder how many times a day you regret not stopping by to check on her...How can you sleep at night, son?" The old man said, as he shook his head at Jaebeom and approached his chair. "Perhaps, Choi Youngjae wasn't the only one who kept your thoughts busy, right?" The old man stated, as he threw at the table photos of Mark and JB kissing at the schoolyard. Jaebeom's heart almost stopped. Jinyoung gasped when he laid eyes on the photos. A disturbed Mr. Lim picked one of them from the table and crushed it in his hands. He was speechless, all of them looked too real, and JB looked too disconcerted. Dorine looked away, when Mark’s eyes to met hers.

"Mom, this means nothing. It happened the day he was admitted at the hospital. There's nothing between us now. I told you it was over. It was just a goodbye kiss. I didn't lie to you about that." The American desperately tried to explain himself. His stepfather was agape, unable to utter a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a double update! Don't stop reading here.^^


	39. To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sometimes life has a cruel sense of humor, giving you the thing you always wanted at the worst time possible.” ~Lisa Kleypas

"I never heard about this kiss. And if it happened on the day he climbed the stairs to that roof, it means we were already together, and you broke a rule." Jinyoung's accusing tone caught his attention. Mark eyed him with guilt in his eyes. It was the same day Jinyoung had confessed to him at the cafeteria. They both knew that. A frowning Mr. Lim studied the two boys attentively. That wasn’t acting. It was real.

"Jackson, and your two stepbrothers! You were with all of them at the same time? At the school too?! I genuinely never felt so ashamed in my whole life, son. And you did this! Is your ex in this abhorrent relationship too? I knew the moment that Nam entered our lives you would become like this, promiscuous and incautious! I can't even look at you right now!" Dorine put both her hands on her face and stood up from her chair. She turned her back on him and leaned on a wall. Mark didn’t know how to explain himself, deep down he was ashamed too.

"Like I said, bad parenting!” The old man huffed and turned to an astonished Mr. Lim. “Taek-geun, you yourself didn't do a very good job, did you? How can you even run this school? A porn video was made in Kirin High school’s office! I'm not just talking about the soccer players! There was always a camera in that room! One that recorded Junior and your stepson having sex on a random table!” The CEO threw his arms exaggeratedly. The whole room focused on him now. Everybody was wondering how the hell J.Y.P knew about that.

“Lies! Do you think I’m gonna fall for your tricks, Park?” The principal raised his voice at him, but he himself knew that although JYP was a royal asshole, he wouldn’t fabricate any sexual content involving his grandson. If there was a video, it was not fake.

“He’s not lying. We just didn’t know about the camera.” A guilt-ridden Jinyoung said in a weak voice. His father inhaled. Jaebeom ran a nervous hand through his hair. Dorine covered her face with her hands. Mark looked away and scratched his neck uncomfortably. JYP just waited to see the principal’s reaction.

“Mark, do you have anything to say about this?!” Mr. Lim was clearly furious now when he looked at his stepson. Before Mark arrived, JYP had already shown him the texts, the nudes, and the video with the players. However, the principal was still in some sort of denial. Jinyoung had confirmed the whole thing, but he knew his son could be in cahoots with his grandfather. Jaebeom also confirmed the existence of a throuple involving his twin, Jackson and Mark. But Taek Geun imagined that Jaebeom was also fooled by both Jinyoungs. Mr. Lim thought of millions of possibilities in order not to take that truth seriously. JYP had fabricated ‘proofs’ before. Park could’ve fooled or blackmailed Dorine too. Taek geun didn’t wanna lose hope yet. But if there was a video, with Jinyoung and Mark rubbing the truth on his face, he would have no room for denial. He felt his stomach turn. JYP wasn’t lying. And unable to deny the undeniable, he couldn’t help but lash out at Mark. “Say something! Open your mouth you ungrateful little shit! I mean, I welcomed you in my home! You knew he was my son, both of them! What were you trying to accomplish?! My God! I knew you had issues. Your mom warned me about you, but this is beyond sick!” the principal yelled. Jaebeom and his brother were about to protest and take the American’s side, but unexpectedly, someone else was faster.

“You didn’t do us any favors. We owe you nothing Taek Geun. What makes you think that your kids are the innocent ones? Because they are younger? What makes you assume that my son is the one to blame for this mess? Haven’t you heard their grandfather? Your darling Jinyoung is not a saint! This whole situation started with him. Your son is the one who’s sick! You fucking overlook all his mistakes! And I’m tired too see you blatantly ignore his issues! Do not talk like that to my son, when yours is as psychopathic as your former father-in-law here!” Dorine shot back. Silence fell. Mark had an incredulous look on his face while he stared at his mother. The twins weren’t able to formulate a single sentence after her outburst. Mr. Lim was perplexed. JYP ignored the counselor diagnosis, and continued to torture the principal.

“I guess you’re the only one blind here?! You seriously had no idea of what was going on all this time?! One of your sons has sex with Dorine’s son in the school office, your other son makes out with the same boy in the middle of the schoolyard! Where have you been Lim?! These children were never safe in your hands. You were never able to give them a proper home! Just the other day Jaebeom was suicidal and doing drugs! How can you let this whore of your stepson corrupt Jiyeong's boys even more?!" The old man spat. Dorine marched in his direction and slapped his face twice. The shock on the old man’s face was priceless.

"Don't you ever say that again! Mark is not like that. You disrespect my son one more time and I’ll fucking tell him to break both of your legs. And believe me, he will break more than just your legs." Dorine stated and quietly sat back on her chair beside Mark. The American was flabbergasted. Jinyoung wouldn’t let his grandfather insult his boyfriend that way either.

“For your information, old geezer, Mark is not a whore. As a matter of fact, we corrupted him. He was still a virgin when-”

“Jin! Shut the fuck up!” Jaebeom interrupted his brother, before Jinyoung could expose the other too much. But he had said enough to make the room become silent again. The American blushed furiously. Dorine finally eyed her son with concern.

“Mark dear, you-”

"Dorine, we will not discuss family issues now. This is not the place. Park is just trying to rile us up since the beginning. We’re letting him win. He did his homework and collected his data on us. He already knows too much. Do not give him what he wants. This topic regarding my sons and yours, will be clarified soon. We'll do that as soon as we get home. The four of you certainly have a lot of explanation to do. I'm even surprised that my own wife knew about this and kept me in the dark. But nevermind. At this moment, we have more pressing issues at hand." Mr. Lim stated, as he seemed to struggle to regain a bit of his already disrupted composure. He exhaled and turned to the CEO. "What do you want, Park?"

"Full custody of my grandchildren and a signed contract with J.Y.P Entertainment." Park said finally.

"No." The principal replied firmly.

"Not even a single soul outside of this school knows what has been going on in this building. Most students just saw Wang being cuffed. I promise you that tomorrow morning the truth will be out. The pictures, the video of the school office, the drugs, everything! Your school will be closed. Jinyoung, Mark and Wang will be a whole meal for the press. I am not bluffing. The name of the Lims will be ruined. You will have no job, no family, nothing. And I promise you this, your kids will be taken away from you. You want it, or not." The old man assured him as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Dad-"

"Shut up, Jaebeom. I will not let him take you two away from me. He took my wife from me in the past, he took your mom from you once, but this time, I will fight for our family." Mr. Lim replied quickly.

"Don’t be headstrong now. It’s our children he’s threatening and he has all the tools to do it.” Dorine said to her husband and then eyed the CEO suspiciously. “There's someone in this school helping you obtain all this information, right? How do you know so much about everything?" Dorine turned to the CEO with a suspicious look on her face.

"I'm a powerful man. I have eyes everywhere and I'd rather not reveal the names of my sources." The old man sneered.

"Do you think that forcing us to stay with you will be worthwhile? We loathe you! Are you gonna force us to sing and dance? I'd like to see you try." Jinyoung said bitterly.

"You'd better say goodbye to Wang them." The old Park said simply.

"Wait! What can I do!? You wanted me here for a reason, right? How can I save Jacks?" Mark asked desperately.

"No one is going to jail, but nothing is for free. You will also sign a contract with J.Y.P.E, and so will Wang." The CEO added quickly.

"No, he will not!" Dorine protested firmly. "If you try to blackmail my son or implicate him in any crime, I'll find him the best lawyers in the city and I-"

"I heard Tuan Enterprises went bankrupt. Your late husband left you many debts. Even your own house had to be sold. Where are you gonna find these amazing lawyers without having enough money to even pay them?" Park cut her off. Silence fell on more time, until Mark started making questions.

"Mom, you sold the house? What debts? What is he taking about?!" Mark exclaimed, as he stared at his mother. She briefly closed her eyes, while her son interrogated her.

"I told you there was nothing left for us in LA." Dorine said as she opened her eyes to meet the despondency in her son's. But it didn't last long. Mark looked determined when he turned to JYP again.

"Why do you want me in your company? I'm not a singer, I can't dance! I mean, I have zero talent. How can I be valuable to you?" The American asked in a hurry.

"Nonsense, kid. My sources say you made quite an impression in this school when you arrived. The girls love you. And it seems, the boys do too." The old man glanced at his grandsons and winked at Mark. "Have you looked in the mirror? You're a visual. Your looks are your talent, and luckily, you were born with it. We'll give you a little polishing, and you'll be ready to go. My company sells everything one can offer, music, dance, all kinds of entertainment, even beauty. One day, you'll be in a group that shall rely on your pretty face to conquer the hearts of many fans. Who knows, while you're at it, you might learn something. Perhaps we can find more skills in you, besides that handsomeness, of course." JYP said confidently. Dorine shook her head in disbelief.

"Mark, don't listen to him. We will find another way. I will-"

"Where do I sign?" Mark cut his mother off and asked. The twins gasped. Mr. Lim sighed in frustration. 

"Americans, they do know how to do business. I already like you, kid. By the way, forgive me for insulting you minutes ago. Don’t take it to the heart. It’s all part of the show." JYP smiled brightly as he picked up a folder from the chair beside him, took some files out and handed Mark the contract and a pen. The teenager quickly signed it. "But since you're a minor, I'll need Dorine's signature too."

"Dorine, don't do it." Taek-geun whispered loud enough for her to hear. “You'll be selling his soul to the devil. We can talk about this. You don’t want him to become an idol, trust me. He’ll be one of JYPE’s slaves." He stood up from his chair and thought of going to his wife, but Mark glared at him and started talking in a foreign language with his mother.

"Let's face it mom, your marriage is over. We don't have a penny, nor a place to stay. Your husband won't forgive you for bringing me into their lives. He'll kick us out. Besides, I'm not giving up on Jinyoung whether stepfather likes it or not. I wanna be with him. You don't love your husband, you don’t have to listen to him. This is our way out." Mark said in Mandarin, as he handed the paper and the pen to his mom. Her reluctance was unwavering. Therefore, he insisted in a pleading tone. "Please, I know you don’t approve, but I can't imagine my life without him. I cannot be Mr. Lim’s stepson and his son’s boyfriend at the same time." The teenager added as he reached for her hand, and suddenly, her determination faltered. She saw that expression in Mark's face when they argued in the kitchen of the Lim’s residence. In the occasion, the teenager threatened to run away with the boy he claimed to be in love with. The counselor couldn’t afford to lose the only son she still had. Her son was not the begging type. But his eyes pleaded with her. She pursed her lips. All eyes in the room were on her. She had to think fast. JYP was not the kind of person she wanted Mark to be associated with. Yet, her own son could be in danger if she refused to agree with the CEO's terms. She knew there was no easy way out of that predicament. Therefore, Dorine took a last look at her kid and sighed deeply. It only took a minute for her to scan the document and sign it.

"Mark what did you do? Are you and your mother out of your minds?" Jinyoung asked astonished.

"I'm fixing our problems. Since you’re unable to. The story keeps repeating itself, right?" The American asked sadly. Jinyoung made an uncomfortable sound. He knew those nudes started all that. He was aware that Yoongi and his gang only kept their secret, because Mark took charge of the situation. Mark saved them back then. It was a bold move, but it worked for a while. Now the American was doing the same, righting his wrongs. The young Lim looked away in shame. Jaebeom shook his head in frustration.

"Now, Taek geun, it's your turn. Be reasonable and follow your wife’s example. As soon as you sign it, I’ll be out of your hair. Now, give me the boys." JYP approached the principal's chair and handed him another paper and a pen.

"No."

"Would you rather see Jinyoung in jail? What about your stepson? With that face of his, he might end up sucking more cocks in a juvenile prison than he already does out here." JYP pressed, his venomous endeavored to pollute the principal’s ears. Still, Taek geun did not give in to his provocations.

"What do you mean? We signed the damn contract!" Dorine protested angrily. "Leave my son alone!"

"If I don't get my grandsons, all this talk means nothing. The contract you just signed will be nullified. Then I'll call the police officer outside and the other who has Wang in the other room and do what I have to do to lock them all up." The CEO said in a menacing tone.

"Father, it's okay. Now I know what you had to go through all those years you were married to mom. Having to put up with this all the time must’ve been pure hell. Please, let us go. It's fine to surrender, we know you did your best. We can’t win this. A signature won’t change who we are. We'll never stop being your sons. Just sign the paper, just do it!" Jaebeom said in an urgent voice. He didn't want his brother, Mark and Jackson to do time in correctional centers. Anything was better than that.

"I deserve to go to a reformatory. But I cannot let my best friend pay for my mistakes. I cannot let you lose the school and your reputation. I cannot let Mark be another victim of grandpa. I saw what it did to Mom. Trust us, Dad. I know it’s a bit difficult now, after learning about all these things we did…But rest assured, we won’t disappoint you in the future. I promise you we'll be all right. Please father, sign it." Jinyoung stated bravely. From that moment on, he promised himself he would never let his family down again. He promised to himself that he would grow up and clean up his own messes. He promised he would fix his act and show Mark that he was also capable of being responsible and dependable. And he also promised himself that he would make his grandfather accountable for all the harm he caused his family.

"No." Taek-geun repeated. JYP went to the door, opened it, and exchanged some words with the officer outside. Within a second, a frightened Jackson was brought to the room, still cuffed. The three teenagers in the room ran to his direction.

"My grandson must be cuffed too. He's been a very bad boy." JYP said sarcastically, and the other cop grabbed Jinyoung by the arm. Mark punched the man and marched to Taek Geun's seat.

"Just fucking sign it! What are you waiting for? It's too late to try to set a good example now. We don't have time for this. You told me once that you would support any decision I made. Well, it turns out I want to be a kpop idol, not a juvenile delinquent. Do you have my back or not, Mr. Lim? I need an answer, a simple yes or no. Come on man, I don't need a judging stepfather right now, I'm not asking for forgiveness either, and I'm really at loss here. I desperately need a friend. Do not let me and your sons down. Your love for them has gotta be bigger than your pride." Mark eyed him intensely, with fire in his eyes. Something changed in the principal's resolute expression. But he remained silent. JYP grunted in dissatisfaction and handed one of the officers a pendrive. The other officer punched by Mark resumed to cuff Jinyoung, and while the American was distracted talking to the principal, the other officer hit his back with a club. Mark groaned in pain and fell to the ground. Dorine screamed at the officer and ran to her son. Jaebeom was about to throw a chair at the culprit when his father gripped his arm. The principal couldn’t take it anymore.

"Stop it. All of you, just stop. I'll sign it."

JYP signaled the officers to leave the room. As soon as Jackson and Jinyoung were uncuffed they ran to Mark's side to check on him. JB wanted to check on Mark too, but he was instantly paralyzed by the deep sorrow he found in his father’s eyes when the principal handed the signed papers back to JYP.

"I'll come to pick up the boys soon. I'll give you some time to pack and say your goodbyes, kids. I'll be contacting you soon." A delighted JYP announced, as he walked to the door.

"This is not right...They are not even real police officers are they? What kind of cop would follow your orders and hit a kid this way?!" Jinyoung demanded as he stood up and pointed to the ground where Mark agonized in pain. JYP clapped his hands.

"Sharp as ever, Junior. They are actors groomed by the company. Impressive acting, right? But I'm sure you can do a better performance than both of them. Soon you'll be playing roles in movies and dramas too. You are a natural, junior. I have high expectations of you. You are the complete package. Singer, dancer, composer, and actor." His grandfather smiled at him proudly.

"That's not fucking acting! This is not a goddam movie. He really hit Mark!" An enraged Jinyoung complained.

"Well, they had to improvise when your boyfriend used his Karate kid's moves. Sorry about that. I'm glad they did not touch his face though. Those two idiots would have to answer to me if they did." The old man said without a bit of remorse and took an object out of his suit. "By the way, I guess this belongs to the loverboy there. Give it to him when he feels better." The old man threw Mark's cellphone on the table, turned around and left the room. Mr. Lim sat back on his chair petrified. JB put a hand on his shoulder trying to offer his father some sort of support. Jackson and Jinyoung helped Mark to a chair, as Dorine patted his hair.

"Maybe we should take him to a hospital." The Hongkonger suggested worriedly.

"No, I'm not going anywhere. I’m fine. What about you? Did they hurt you? Did you sign anything?" Mark touched Jackson's hand when the Hongkonger sat beside him. Jinyoung sat on a chair beside the Hongkonger. He eyed the two together and remembered the promise he made to himself. He didn’t like the way Mark seemed to give more attention to Jackson than to him. He took a deep breath and said nothing. It was about time he made that change he was thinking about.

"Yes, and so did my coach. He's my legal tutor while I’m here. I'm not sure if it's valid though." Jackson replied quietly.

"He'll make sure it is. Even if Park has to send his jet to Hong Kong and bring your parents here to blackmail them face to face." The principal said bitterly. JYP got what he wanted a long time ago, and Mr. Lim felt like he had lost both his sons forever, to their grandfather and to the world. He was incapable of battling against fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is only the beginning...


	40. Nobody Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abandonment doesn't have the sharp but dissipating sting of a slap. It's like a punch to the gut, bruising your skin and driving the precious air from your body. ~Tayari Jones

"Mark, let's go. We need to start packing." Dorine announced coldly as she picked up her purse from the table and headed for the door. All eyes in the room focused on her.

"What's that supposed to mean? Why do you have to pack?" Jinyoung was the first to protest. Dorine ignored the teenager and Mark gave him a 'not now' look that made him frown. Jaebeom had a sad expression on his face, his quizzical eyes also screamed for an answer, but he refrained from asking questions now. His stepmom wasn't in the mood for talking. She didn't have to say much, because he knew what she meant with 'packing'. That meeting with his grandfather had opened a great abyss between the Tuans and the Lims. He couldn't help but feel powerless at that moment, he was unable to make requests or convince them to stay. The offenses and accusations exchanged between the counselor and the principal in that room would certainly affect the dynamics of that family. The counselor of Kirin High surprisingly took her son's side when no one expected her to. Dorine made clear that even though she wasn't one of the best mothers in the world, even though she had damaged Mark in several ways, she wouldn't allow anyone else to badmouth her child in her presence. On the other hand, her husband, proved to be extremely unreliable under pressure. Lim wasn't very careful with his words and he ended up crossing a line. Blaming Mark was unreasonable, but failing to recognize his own son's protagonism in that whole story was even worse. Both parents were unable to preserve their balance during JYP's attacks. The married couple's harmony was shattered. Jackson also seemed to understand that, and he didn't feel like staying with the Lims in that room either. 

"Can I come with you guys?" The Hongkonger asked, when Mark started following his mother outside, and Dorine simply nodded. Jackson had foreseen that kind of situation. Of course, he didn't predict JYP's role in it, but he knew that their throuple relationship would end in a messy way. He was aware that his best friend realized that too, but the young Lim just didn't care about the consequences of that arrangement. Actually, he was done with Jinyoung's indifference towards serious issues. He still regretted doing nothing to stop the Korean at Yugyeom's party. He knew about his plan, he was sure of what was about to happen in that bedroom, and yet, he just let Jinyoung have his way. Well, not anymore. Jackson realized that some aspects of his friendship with the young Lim needed to be revisited. He still cared for him, but he needed to reevaluate his own attitudes, and learn that being a friend was more than saying yes to everything his pal decided to do. He didn't blame Jinyoung for having a grandfather like J.Y.P, no one could control what happened in that teachers' room, the old man wanted to take the twins form Taek-geun years ago and sooner or later, that day would come, whether they played a part in it or not. However, Jackson resented his friend for something else. He couldn’t get over the fact that Jinyoung mercilessly forced his break up with Mark. Deep down the Hongkonger believed Mark when he told him that he hadn't given that bracelet to Jinyoung. The Korean had stolen it from the American, just like he stole Mark from him. Jackson suddenly realized that he had tried his best to be a good friend to Jinyoung, but unfortunately, Jinyoung wasn't much of a good friend to him. He loved the guy, no doubt. Nevertheless, he just couldn't stand being around him at that moment. Truth to be told, he didn't wanna spend one more minute with the Lims in that room. He was team Tuan all the way right now, and although he was low-key scared of Kirin High's counselor, he supported her decision of just leaving that problematic family behind. Therefore, he decided to take off with Mark and his mother.

The trio was already climbing down the stairs when the principal appeared behind them.

"Dorine, don't go. We need to talk. All of us." Mr. Lim said tentatively, hoping that his wife would listen to him. Yet, when she stopped to move, she only made an annoyed sound before turning to Taek-geun.

"This marriage is over. Do not follow us. I heard enough. If you wanna talk, go to your boys and say farewell to them. Remember they are not yours anymore. You should make every minute count right now. Don't waste it on me. It's useless." She said harshly. Her stone cold glare resembled Mark's so much that Taek-geun suddenly realized how they were alike in their fury. She turned her back on him and motioned the two teenagers with her to walk faster. Mr. Lim was rendered speechless as he eyed the trio leave the school building. Jinyoung was about to run after them when Jaebeom held him by the shoulders and told him to stay put.

Dorine dropped Jackson at his house and told him to stay away from trouble. After that ride, he asked Mark if he could meet him later that day. Dorine promptly told Jackson that they would be busy unpacking. Mark then told the Hongkonger that he would text him their new address as soon as he found out where they were going. His mother wasn't very keen on revealing that in the car, maybe because she thought that Jackson would tell Jinyoung where they would be staying, and she obviously didn't want any Lim at their door right now.

Mark thought they would have a chance to go back to the Lim's residence to pack their things. But Dorine seemed to have changed her mind, they checked in a hotel instead. The teenager found out that his mother kept in the trunk of her car the two suitcases she had packed for them the day Kim Taehyung told her about the soccer team video. He wondered if she knew they'd be leaving the Lim's residence at some point. She still had the keys of her old apartment, the one she owned before marrying Kirin High's principal. But she was renting it. They decided to go to a hotel then, and since she wanted to keep an eye on him, she requested a room for two.

"Aren't you gonna say anything?" Mark asked her as they entered their room. His mother just threw her purse and keys on a bedside table and sat on the bed closer to the door.

"What do you want me to say?" She asked tiredly, as she took off her high heels. Mark eyed her in confusion.

"Tell me how I ruined everything. How I always fuck up and disappoint you, I mean it’s easier that way, right? It’s hard to say anything else-"

"Stop. I have a headache. We had enough drama for today. Go take a shower. We'll have lunch as soon as you're done." Dorine cut him off and pointed to the bathroom.

"No. Seriously, just say what you have to say. I can take it, whatever it is, I’ll overcome it! There's nothing you can tell me that will make me feel-"

"Worse than you already do." She completed his sentence for him. "I've heard that one before, son. Let's just skip it to the end, and stop talking to each other for a while." The woman sighed in frustration as she met her son's gaze.

"Are you really leaving Lim Taek-geun?" Mark needed to know.

"Are you leaving Lim Jinyoung?" She asked with a knowing look on her face.

"No." He stated shortly.

"Then yes, divorce is on the way." She snorted and turned the TV on..

"I'm sorry, I swear I didn't do it on purpose. Mom, please say something." Mark sounded genuinely sorry as he sat on the floor and leaned his back against the door. He kept a meaningful distance from Dorine, since he wasn't sure if she would be throwing stuff at him again. However she didn't move from the bed, nor seemed too agitated this time.

"What do you want me to say? Should I tell you to stay away from Jinyoung? I think we both know you won't listen. You didn't leave Eric Nam when I told you to. Remember? This time won't be any different. You always do whatever the hell you want without an ounce of regret." She didn't hide the discontentment in her voice.

"Dorine." The anguished teenager started, but he didn't know what he could possibly say to convince his mother of how regretful he felt.

"I wonder why my words mean nothing to you. Perhaps I don't mean much to you. If you had to choose between this kid and your own mother, who would you pick? Him, right?" She asked, as she stared at the window with a far away look on her features.

"That's ridiculous." Mark shook his head.

"Bad parenting, that's what it is...I knew he was right even before he mentioned it." She folded her arms acoss her chest and laid on her back just to stare at the ceiling this time.

"JYP is an asshole." He said quickly. 

"Still, he was not the one who caused all this. His accursed grandson did." She caustically reminded him.

"Don't say-"

"And you-!" Dorine cut him off, but held her tongue before she unleashed her anger on him. She sighed and continued. "It would be unfair to put this all on you though. I can't pretend I'm not to blame either. You and your brother obviously didn't have the same upbringing. I failed you. It's because of my negligence that we are here now."

"Dorine, Joey and I were different-"

"Stop talking! Just go take your shower, Yi-en." She inhaled as she sat up on the bed again and glared at her son. The teenager suddenly felt too small around her. Yet, he wouldn't let his mom agree with JYP's opinion about their family.

"Just don't let what that old man said get to you. You and Dad didn’t fail me. We just didn’t understand each other…Gosh, you defended me in front of everyone today! You didn’t let them talk shit about me. You slapped the CEO of JYP Entertainment. That was momentous! I'm sure that if Joey was here he would agree-"

"Mark, for the love of God, just go!" She screamed abruptly. And the teenager thought that if he didn't obey her now, probably the staff of the hotel would be knocking on their door soon. Therefore, he took some clothes of his suitcase and went to the bathroom.

Mark took a quick shower, and examined the bruise on his back. It hurt like hell, but he didn’t want to bother his mom about little things right now. He wanted to make peace with her and assure Dorine that he would try to get used to the idea of becoming a trainee at JYPE. He was never good at anything, he constantly gave her grief, but from now on, he would prove his mom that he was also able to give her reasons to be proud of him. He still couldn’t believe what his mother had done for him that afternoon. She had never stood up for him that way, and he couldn’t help but smile when he remembered her fierce attitude in the teachers’ room. The hopeful teenager ignored the pain on his back, got dressed quickly and returned to the room, but his mother wasn't there. He imagined that she had gone out for some reason, maybe to get some air, or buy some groceries, but he soon noticed that her suitcase wasn't on the floor next to his anymore. He looked for it everywhere, but it was gone. He left the room quickly and took the elevator. She wasn't at the lobby either, she was nowhere to be found. He asked around the hotel, but no one had seen where she went. He called her, but she didn't pick up. He desperately returned to their room and waited for her there. He kept reassuring himself that she was his mother and that she was going to come back for him at some point. Suddenly the teenager felt tears staining his cheeks. He laid on the bed his mother was sitting earlier and hoped to hear the sound of her heels through the corridors. He yearned to see her open the door and tell him that she had found a nice restaurant for them to eat. Hours passed, and his anxiety grew little by little. His lips quivered as he buried his face on the sheets. They still preserved a lingering fragrance of her perfume. Mark cursed himself for letting that happen again. For not preparing himself for that possible outcome. Another loss. His head pounded with regret. Was that her ultimate punishment? Leaving him for good?

Afternoon turned to evening, and evening turned to night. The next day, the teenager still refused to leave the room, not even to eat. Mark didn't get up from the bed, but eventually grabbed his cellphone from the bedside table. He kept his eyes glued to the screen of his phone for a while. He wondered whom he should call in that situation. He had no money and nowhere to go. He couldn't rely on the Lims now. Not after everything that happened the day before. He thought that Mr. Lim would probably hang up on him if he tried to contact him or his sons. He wouldn't bother the boys either, they were probably going through a major family crisis now that they'd have to leave their father. They had a lot of shit on their plate already. And although Jinyoung called him nonstop, the American didn't pick up. He was ashamed to tell the Korean that his fucking mother had disappeared on him. That after leaving that teachers' room defiantly, she simply checked them in a hotel and abandoned him there. He felt like crap. The other members of Got7 also texted and called, but he didn't do anything about it. He couldn't tell if his phone had more missed calls from Jinyoung or Jackson. The Hongkonger was also trying to reach him for a while now. But Mark didn't think it was fair to rely on Jackson after that nasty break up at the party. They didn't have a chance to talk in the car, since his mother was there, but he planned to have a proper talk with the Hongkonger and perhaps make it up for him somehow. However, now wouldn't be the best time for it. Mark believed that if he went to ask Jackson for help, the Hongkonger would think that he just looked for him because he didn't have anywhere else to go. Mark convinced himself that telling him about his pitiful situation was not ideal. And although he would love to have Jackson by his side at that difficult moment, he wouldn't let the Hongkonger think that he only reached out for him because he was in trouble. Then he thought of Bambam and Yugyeom. He saw their missed calls too. Then he remembered the way his young friends were quick to judge him at the school gate. He wasn’t mad at them, yet he thought that as soon as they learned about everything that happened at that teachers' room they'd blame him all over again. A name suddenly came to his mind and this name came with the flash of a smile brighter than the sunshine itself. He decided to call Youngjae, the kid he never got to apologize properly, but was always kind to him. Choi wasn't so quick to judge him earlier, and maybe, he could give him some advice.

"Jae?" he whispered, a bit uncertain of the other’s reaction.

"Mark, everyone is looking for you! Look I just learned about what happened and I know your mom probably wants you to stay away from us, but please, tell us where you are. We are your friends. You can't leave us in the dark like this." Youngjae said quickly, and Mark could already hear other voices on the background.

"Us?" He asked swiftly. Suddenly someone else's voice was on the line.

"Mark tell me where you are. One thing is leaving the house, another is shutting us down. Why didn't you answer your damn phone? Jackson is almost having a stroke! Since you decided to ghost us, he started speculating like crazy. He thinks your mom locked you up somewhere. He says she's insane and that he should have never let you leave with her. Is everything okay? Can you talk? Is Dorine near?" Jaebeom's worried voice made the American close his eyes for a second and swallow. Mark guessed that Jackson had probably told him about that dreary episode he witnessed at the kitchen of the Lims’ residence. Mark was ashamed. He didn’t want the others to worry about him. He wanted to tell JB that he could handle whatever Dorine threw at him, but he couldn’t. He felt a swirl of emotions overcome him. He wanted to open up to his stepbrother. It hadn't even been two days since they last saw each other. Not long ago they were in the same room, but it already felt like years. Mark didn't have a chance to say goodbye to him or Jinyoung after that dreadful meeting with JYP. But deep down, the American wished he could count on them now. He suddenly wanted to tell his stepbrother how much he missed the Lims and their home, and how unsafe he felt at that moment. Jaebeom once held him close and comforted him when he told him about Joey. Mark craved for that emotional support now, from the boy who once told him, ‘ _I’ll be immortal for you, I’ll always be where you want me to be_ _’._ The older wished he could to tell JB how much he longed for his strong and dependable presence, and his constantly assertive eyes. He yearned to be saved, to be rescued. Yet, he didn’t dare to mention any of that.

"S-she's in the shower." He stuttered the lie that escaped from his lips as he tried to keep himself sobbing. He just thought that if he kept lying to himself, the truth wouldn't hurt so bad. However, his miserable tone of voice gave him away. Infallibly, Jaebeom immediately perceived that something was wrong.

"Mark, tell me where you are and I 'll pick you up." He said firmly.

"Where's Jin?" He asked sadly, instead of giving JB the hotel’s address. Mark could already feel his heart ache as soon as the name of his beloved left his mouth.

"He's worried too!" The Korean sounded impatient. "He left with Jackson and dad. They went to your mom's old apartment, is that where you are?"

"Your dad is looking for me?" The American was bewildered. He could also distinguish Yugyeom and Bambam's hushed voices on the background. His heart tightened in his chest. What wouldn't he give to be with his friends now...But how could he keep them if he was unable to keep his own mom by his side?

"Yeah! Of course. You're his damn stepson anyways! Now tell me Markie, please. Are you at your mom's apartment? Are you hurt?" Jaebeom sounded exasperated.

"I-I'm sorry, Jaebeomie, a-and thank you." Mark said quickly and hung up on him. Hurt was an understatement. He was in pieces. He cried himself to sleep after waiting for his mom a bit more. Next morning he woke up immensely hungry, since he didn't have anything to eat the day before. He looked around the room and realized that the nightmare was still very real. Dorine didn't return, nor called. He had already blocked his stepfather and Got7’s numbers from his phone. He only looked forward to Dorine’s contact, but it never happened. He was now sure that she had thrown him away like trash.

A nameless hunger forced him to finally get up from the bed. He was dizzy, a bit dehydrated and his back hurt even more. He was about to leave the room and have some free breakfast at the hotel's lounge when his cellphone screen displayed an unknown number, one that had already called him more than once. He figured that he was probably asleep when they called. He wondered who could it be. He decided to find out.

"Little Rooster, I'm coming to pick you up. Don't go anywhere." The idol's voice was rushed and tinged with alarm.

"Eric?" Mark already knew who was on the other line, but he still asked for a confirmation.

"You mom texted me and told me to get you. She messaged me the address of the hotel yesterday, but I just saw her text this morning."

"My mom contacted you? Where the hell is she?" The teenager's heart started beating faster.

"She didn't say, Mark."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Tell me where the fuck is Dorine!" As soon as Mark yelled at his phone, the door of his room opened. Mark was startled to see him there.

"Don't be stubborn. Come with me, okay? I already paid for the room, get you shit and let's go." Eric said as he entered the room hurriedly and grabbed Mark's suitcase from the floor. The teenager pushed him away abruptly and took his suitcase from him.

"Mark, can we not do this now?" The idol pleaded. The teenager just glared at him, although he felt his vision blurry a bit.

"I wanna see my mother. I gotta wait for her here. If she comes back and realize that I left with you, she will-"

"Mark, wake the fuck up! Dorine is not well! When she left me a fucking voice mail, she didn't sound like herself. And it doesn't seem like she's coming back any soon. This is what? Your third day here? You cannot wait for her here forever. Think about it! If she told me where to find you, she obviously doesn’t want you to rot here. The Dorine Tuan we know would never ask me to come pick you up, but she still did. She must be completely out of her mind this time, but even in her fucked up state she still remembered she had a goddam son. Now stop being a brat and move!" Eric retorted and immediately regretted raising his voice when he saw the look of dejection on his ex's face. He inhaled and continued in a softer tone. "Come on, I'll take you home. Your stepfather must be wondering where you are." Eric extended his hand to him, suddenly concerned about how pale the other looked. Mark cast his eyes down and ignored it.

"Dorine left Taek-geun. We have nothing to do with them anymore. We are on our own." Mark declared, before the idol insisted to take him home.

"She did what?! What's wrong with this woman? What the hell happened, Mark? She only texted me this address and told me to come. She didn't mention anything about the Lims." Eric looked surprised. Mark was suddenly uncomfortable. He wasn't really in the mood to talk about that topic.

"It's a long story. But long story short, my stepfather found out about me and my stepbrothers. I can't go back there. I'd better stay away from them now. That's why mom drove us here. She told me she would get a divorce. Then I went to take a shower and when I came out of the bathroom, she was gone." Mark said at once. Eric opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again. He seemed to ponder about the situation.

"Come to mine then." The idol suggested, after a long minute. A wide-eyed Mark shook his head energically.

"Eric I don't think this is a good idea. Plus, we need to find my mom, I mean, if she's not well, we should go to the police and-"

"Mark, let's go. We'll see what we can do about the police later if she doesn't contact us today. I promise you, but right now I wanna get you out of here. I won't let you stay in this shitty hotel room by yourself. You'll come with me, okay?" The idol sounded kinder as he slowly came closer to him and held his cheeks softly with both his hands. Mark sighed in frustration and bit his upper lip. He wanted to refuse the older's offer, but he didn't have anywhere else to go and he wasn’t feeling well. Therefore, he finally nodded to him, gathered his belongings and left the hotel with his ex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double Update!:]


	41. Flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In those moments when we realize how much we cannot control, we can learn to let go.   
> ~ Sharon Salzberg

Mark slept all the way to Eric’s home. But when they reached his place, the idol woke him up and helped him get out of the car, since his legs were a little wobbly. It was strange to be back at the idol's place after that terrible party. However, Eric did his best to make the teenager feel comfortable there. He prepared him breakfast and showed him a room where he could shower and change his clothes. He gave Mark enough time to get dressed before he gently knocked on his door with a tray of food in one hand. It didn't take long for the American to appear in front of him.

"Are we going to the police station now?" Mark asked abruptly as soon as he opened the door. Eric seemed satisfied to see that he had showered and changed his clothes. Now he only had to get him to eat.

"Mark, you didn’t have your breakfast yet, and before we go to the cops we need to talk first. I want you to tell me exactly what happened before your mom checked in that hotel room." Eric started and showed the teenager the tray of food he had with him. Mark rolled his eyes at him.

"Eric, we don't have time for this. My Mom can be in trouble and-"

"We are not going anywhere before you tell me the whole story. Including what's your deal with the Lim twins." The idol raised an eyebrow at him and waited for his answer.

"That's none of your business." The teenager stated annoyed, but he suddenly felt too weak to remain on his two feet. A worried Eric held him in place before he could fall on the floor, and luckily, he also managed to keep the food on the tray from slipping from his other hand.

"It became my business, Mark. After all, your involvement with them caused the separation between Dorine and your stepfather, right? It also made your mom drop you at a random hotel room and take off. Apparently, I'm the only person whom she contacted since she disappeared into thin air. Guess who's responsible for your skinny ass now? Eric Fucking Nam. So, yeah, Little Rooster, your problem is my problem. Let's hear it." Eric said as he walked past the teenager, entered the room, put his breakfast on the bed, sat on a chair beside the window, and crossed his legs. "Spill." The idol eyed the defeated teenager walk slowly to the bed and sit down.

"Do you have time?" Mark huffed as he took a bite of an apple he picked from the tray. The other simply nodded. Therefore, the teenager told him everything, every single trouble and turbulence he faced since he arrived in Korea. His brief affair with Jaebeom, his involvement with the JinSon couple and all the consequences of his bad choices. Eric was agape.

"Let me see if I got this straight…You are dating a lunatic kid who once spiked your fucking drink and took intimate pictures of you without your consent?" That was the first fact Eric didn't seem to be able to digest after his ex narrated his crusade. Mark wanted to say something in Jinyoung's defense, but he just nodded to the older.

"Yeah. I mean, we fought at the party, so we're on a break right now. I don't even know how to call it anymore." The teenager confessed with a disheartened expression on his face. With everything that was going on now, he felt that his happy ending with the young Lim seemed too far away.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell's got into you? This is bad, man. If I had heard all of this from someone else I wouldn't have believed it. Mark, this relationship of yours is worrisome. You need to stop this. This isn't you, you deserve better. Do you even realize how far you've gone with this? Just to protect him? I mean, you are fighting and threatening other kids again, and it seems to me that the last thing you do in your school is study. Come on, Markie, you’re not dumb. You do know that blackmailing is a crime, right? What about being charged with possession of child pornography?! Those jocks are minors! Are you even aware of what you've done?" Eric sounded beyond exasperated.

"I'm not worried about jail time. JYP is not stupid. I'll never be charged for that video with the soccer team even if it leaks somewhere on the Internet. He needs me out of prison. He knows that Jinyoung will not respect any contract if Jackson and I aren't bound to his company. The old man thought of everything." Mark clarified with a shrug.

"And now he owns your fucking soul!" Eric exclaimed, extremely disturbed by that whole situation.

"I don't care! My future as an idol is not important right now. Now we should go to a police station and file a missing person’s report. I told you everything you wanted to know, now let's find my mom." The teenager swiftly got up from the bed, but sat back on it just as fast. His back was still bothering him.

“Take off your shirt, let me see how bad it is.” Eric said firmly as he approached the younger.

“No. I’m fine.” Mark said stubbornly.

“Don’t make me strip you myself.” Eric warned him as he towered over the shy boy sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I don’t feel comfortable-”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.” The idol smirked at him. Mark’s sudden embarrassment amused him.

“I was dating you before. Now I’m not.” the younger said, as he looked away from his ex.

“Look, Markie, I’m not trying to make a pass at you or anything, okay? You know me better than that. I don’t lure helpless teenagers to my bedroom so I can take advantage of them. I would never do that, especially not to you.” Eric said in a serious tone, and when his hands moved to the teenager’s shirt, Mark didn’t stop him from taking it off of him. He just folded his arms across his chest to cover his partial nudity. Eric couldn’t help but smile a bit, he was glad that Mark still trusted him. But his smile faded when he crawled on the bed and examined the bruise on Mark’s back.

“It’s not that bad, right?” Mark asked without much confidence as the other gasped and then was silent for a moment.

“Well tough guy. This looks nasty. I think we should see a doctor.” Eric said finally, as he gently traced the bruise on Mark’s back with his finger. The teenager pulled away from his touch in a heartbeat.

“No doctors, and no touching.” Mark said abruptly as he glared at the older and put his shirt back on.

“Sorry, I was just checking how sensitive it is.” Eric swallowed and continued. And yes, mister, we’re going to the hospital now.” Eric stated as he got up from the bed and told Mark to get up too. However, before the teenager could give him a response, his doorbell rang.

"Look at that! Maybe the police is already looking for you, Little Rooster! Maybe they can convince you to see a doctor!" An aggrieved Eric said sarcastically, as he went to get the door. Mark became a bit apprehensive, but remained in the room as the other hurried downstairs.

The idol was surprised to see three familiar figures on his doorsteps. After Mark told him about the role of those three teenagers in his life, Nam couldn't help but feel instantaneously displeased to find them there.

"Good morning! How can I help boys?" He struggled to contain his indignation as he opened the door of his house. Jinyoung walked past him without ceremony. Jaebeom was second, and Jackson was the only one who properly greeted him and asked if he could come in. Nam unwillingly nodded to him. There was nothing he could do since the Lim brothers were already in his living room. He knew Mark could hear them, he just hoped the teenager wouldn’t come down the stairs.

"We are sorry for the intrusion but we need your help." Jaebeom was the first to speak. He looked he hadn't slept 

for a while. The other two looked similarly tired and impatient.

“Please, have a seat. Make yourself at home. How’s Mark doing, by the way? Why is he not with you guys?” Eric asked quickly, feigning ignorance. There was no way that he would tell his guests that his ex was in the upstairs bedroom. The idol felt like he needed to protect the teenager from that family at all costs. After Dorine disappearance, he believed that he should be the one to look after Mark properly. He was about to offer them something to drink when Jackson went straight to the point.

“We won’t take much of your time. We just came to ask if you heard from Mark, and if there’s any place that he and his mother would go apart from her old apartment if something happened at the Lims’ residence.” The disquieted Hongkonger talked fast, as he ran a hand through his shiny black hair. That nervous gesture immediately caught the idol’s eyes. Jackson looked genuinely worried about Mark.

“What exactly happened there? Why would Dorine and Mark leave their home?” Eric kept playing dumb and waited for the youngsters’ response.

“We are the ones looking for answers here. Can’t you simply tell us what you know?” Jinyoung chimed in a bit rudely as he threw his arms. Jaebeom whispered something to his brother and turned to the owner of the house.

“Dorine left my father and took Mark with her. It’s been two days and we haven’t heart from neither of them. Do you know where they could be? We are running out of options here.” A collected JB asked him in a more polite tone.

“If your Dad and Dorine are separated, it’s just normal that she wants to keep her distance from all of you, right? Why are you guys so worried about them?” Eric asked unfazed, his face deadpan, without a bit of sympathy for the oldest Lim.

“I told you guys he knows nothing. He told me that Dorine hates him. Why would she tell him where they are? Coming here was a waste of our time.” Jackson walked back and forth around the room. “Damn, I need a fucking cigarette.” The Hongkonger huffed.

Jinyoung eyed his best friend with distress. A defeated Jaebeom just shook his head at him in frustration. Then the exasperated young Lim completely lost his last bit of self-restraint. He marched in the idol’s direction and without a notice kicked the center table that separated both of them, reached over and grabbed the other by the lapels of his shirt.

“Listen to me Nam! That woman is nuts! And you probably know her better than we do. She can hurt Mark, or worse! We need to know that he’s okay. He called Youngjae the other day and Jaebeom talked to him. My brother says that he sounded strange and he was crying! She could be torturing him, keeping him captive, who the fuck knows! Now if you have any clue where she took him, just fucking tell us.” Jinyoung yelled maniacally at the older. Jackson and his brother immediately moved to separate the two, but Jinyoung shouted a firm ‘stay back’ at them. They froze in their spot.

“If you really think she could harm him, why are you here? Have you contacted the police yet?” Eric did not give in as he stared directly into the boy’s enraged eyes. He did not let the teenager intimidate him. Jinyoung didn’t answer him, he just kept staring hard at the idol without loosening the grip on his shirt. Since the boy refused to answer the older, Jackson replied him.

“Her husband went to the police already. They just told him to relax and wait for a few more days, ‘coz they were sure she would come back! They claimed that these kind of things happens every day with married couples and that his wife was just trying to teach him a lesson. They didn’t even let him file the goddamn missing person’s report!” Jackson explained to the idol, while Jinyoung remained in his silent fury.

“What makes you kids think I know anything? I haven’t seen nor heard from Mark since the party four days ago.” Eric complained emotionlessly.

“Why the hell Mark’s cellphone ended up with my grandfather right after your goddamn party? Are you associated with JYP somehow?” Jinyoung demanded, without letting go of the idol.

“There were hundreds of people at that party. You know that. If Mark lost his phone, anyone could’ve found it and gave it to your dear grandpa. I have nothing to do with this mess. Actually, I do not have any interest to get involved with you and your ilk. I’m glad Mark got away from you and this family of yours, he’s certainly doing much better right now wherever he is. By the way, you’re not welcome in this house anymore. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m a very busy celebrity with a very tight schedule, and I don’t have time to play with high schoolers the whole morning. You all should go. If you’re looking for a conspiracy theory, you’ve come to the wrong place, boy.” Eric replied stoically, as he emphasized his last word, making Jinyoung see how childish he was acting at that moment. The Korean was about to retort when Jaebeom roughly pulled him away from the singer.

“Let’s go. You’re making a fool out of yourself, that’s enough.” He grabbed his agitated twin by the arm and dragged him to the door after whispering an awkward apology to Nam.

“He’s lying! I know he’s lying! He’s hiding something, just look at his face. We should search his place, look for clues, make him talk!” Jinyoung insisted as he tried to pull away from his brother’s grip.

“This kid certainly watched too many detective movies. He does have a great imagination.” Eric commented, as he watched Jaebeom exit the house with his brother and shove him inside the car parked outside.

“He’s just scared. He tends to act out when he’s scared. I’m scared too, I’m scared for Mark.” Jackson said as his eyes watered. He paused at the open door and took a deep breath. It seemed he was trying hard to compose himself before joining his friends in the car. Eric felt bad for him. He felt tempted to tell him that Mark was all right in the upstairs bedroom, but he knew that Jackson would certainly share that information with the twins.

“You’re still welcome here, you know. As long as you promise not to bring them with you. You’re a good guy Jackson, I can see why Mark likes you. But you’re hanging out with the bad crowd.” The idol said, raising an eyebrow at him.

“They are not so bad. You just don’t know them. You don’t know them at all.” The Hongkonger swallowed. Still waiting in the car with a furious Jinyoung on the passenger seat, JB honked at him to make him hurry up.

“It’s because of them that you and Mark could end up in trouble with the law. Hell, being JYPE’s captives is not the scenario either. If I were Mark, I would have ran away from them too. You should do the same.” Eric said without thinking, and Jackson frowned. The idol didn’t even realize the mistake he made. He wasn’t supposed to say anything about the latest events, since he wasn’t supposed to know about them. After all, if he claimed that he hadn’t seen nor talked to Mark since that party at his house, he couldn’t have known about their contract with J.Y.P.

“Thanks for your time, Eric. And sorry for messing up your schedule. I’ll see you around. Have a good day.” Jackson said quickly after blinking a couple of times, and waved him goodbye. A spark of hope was ignited in the Hongkonger as he entered in his friends’ car and finally saw a bit of emotion on Eric’s features. Through the window of the vehicle, he noticed the uneasy look plastered on the idol’s face as the car drove away from his house. He wondered if Jinyoung’s suspicions were right. He promised himself he would find that out soon.

When Eric returned to Mark’s room, he heard gagging noises coming from the bathroom. He dashed there and became horrified when he witnessed a trembling Mark kneeling on the floor as he vomited his breakfast in the toilet. Eric immediately rushed to his aid. He put a hand on his shoulder and waited till Mark stopped dry heaving to gently wipe his mouth with a towel.

“Mark, what is it? Are you feeling unwell?” Eric asked, his voice filled with concern.

“Jinyoungie…Jaebeomie, and Jackie… they came for me! They were all here and I just let them leave without me.” Mark started sobbing uncontrollably.

“Hey, Little Rooster, calm down, okay? I know it’s hard, but it was better that way. You don’t need them now. I’m going to look after you, I promise you I’m not going to let Dorine or the Lims screw you up again. I’m on your side, Markie. You need a friend now and I am your friend, not them! Come on, get up.” Eric soothed him as he brought Mark to the sink, washed his face and led him to the bedroom again.

“Please Ricky, no doctors.” Mark turned to him abruptly and held both his hands. Eric felt a familiar uneasiness take over him. He knew that feeling. He remembered it very well. It was a constant internal conflict when he used to date Mark years ago, back in LA. He felt it whenever he knew Mark was doing something wrong and wanted to call him out, but kept quiet about it and didn’t stop him. He knew that kind of attitude could be dangerous, but he didn’t want to contradict the younger, he still didn’t wanna be the person who had to tell Mark what was good for him and convince him of what was not.

“Mark, that bruise is not going anywhere. You have an empty stomach again, since you threw up your whole breakfast. I can’t have you sick or fainting on me, seriously, we need to-”

“Please, please, Ricky. I’m just going to lay down a bit and then I promise you I’ll eat something when I wake up, I swear. The pain on my back will be better in a few days, I’m sure of it. Then we can look for my mom later. I don’t wanna go out right now, you can take care of me here, you know you can protect me. You always did, please.” Mark insisted, as he put his hands on the idol’s shoulders and kissed both his cheeks. Eric could barely resist his doe eyes.

“Sure.” The idol said weakly, and the other smiled a bit. Eric kept telling himself that he didn’t love Mark anymore, that he had given up on him a long time ago and that his whole heart belonged to his music. He had come to Korea for Mark, but he stayed in the country for his music and that shouldn’t change, it couldn’t change. He didn’t wanna get confused again, he was over him, at least he thought he was. But something was happening inside him, something he couldn’t deny. And although sometimes he couldn’t tell which one was his ultimate dream, now he felt like Mark was the center of his world all over again. He tried to fight that feeling, he struggled not to get caught up in the teenager’s tempting lips, but he felt his self-control fade away by each second. Eric could smell his scent, the same he learned to love after he finally stopped to see Mark as Joey’s replacement. The same scent that inebriated him in the past, whenever he would make out with the teenager and all he wanted was to ask Mark to let him go all the way. He wanted Mark’s scent to tattoo his skin and permanently stay with him. He thanked all gods when Mark’s fingers left his shoulders and the younger went to the bed. He sighed in relief when the teenager crawled under the sheets and went to sleep. The idol wished he could stay with the younger the whole day but he still had two more episodes of that variety TV to film at Kirin High and he also had to attend some interviews later. After getting ready to work, he stopped by Mark’s room again to check on him. The teenager was still sound asleep. He left food for Mark in the fridge and a note on his bedside table. He kissed the sleeping boy on the forehead and left the house.

When Mark woke up, it was already past noon. He was hungry, but he didn’t feel like eating or doing anything else. He didn’t feel like getting up from his bed at all. He read Eric’s note and sighed. He checked his cellphone and surprisingly, he had gotten a message from his mom. He hurriedly sat up on the bed and opened it. He read the sentence, once, then twice, and he had already memorized. It was short and callous, as he should’ve expected from Dorine Tuan. ‘ _Do not look for me_.’ Mark swallowed and shook his head in disbelief. He felt sickened by his mother’s lack of interest in him. He was aware of her undying animosity towards him, but now Joey wasn’t around anymore, he was the only kid she had and she claimed that she wanted to make it up for him. The teenager couldn’t bear the unfairness of it all. The day she abandoned him in a hotel room, Mark took some hours to convince himself that she did it on purpose just to get rid of him for good. Later, when Eric showed up and told him that Dorine had contacted him, Mark became genuinely concerned about his mother’s mental state. However, now, after seeing that text on the screen on his cellphone, his initial suspicion was confirmed. She had given up on trying to be his mom at last. Mark just concluded that she didn’t want him as a son anymore, perhaps she never did. He assumed that Dorine wasn’t having a mental breakdown, she simply hated him and her hatred for him did not bear any aspect of insanity. He was not Joey, and he would never be. That’s why she left. The teenager ignored the pain on his back and decided to leave his bedroom. He climbed down the stairs and went to the kitchen. In a rage, he opened the fridge and he shoved down his throat every edible product he saw in front of him. He angrily ate the plate Eric had left there for him and attacked some fruits and vegetables too. He ate until he felt uncomfortably full. He couldn’t make Raymond love him when he was alive, he couldn’t make Dorine express any motherly feeling for him now, and he couldn’t even make Eric love him once. He was unable to control people’s hearts and keep them from leaving him, but he could control that hunger that he felt inside of him. That hunger people left him with. That hunger without a name and without measure. He would stuff himself with food to slay that hunger and regain control of his own sustenance. However, it didn’t take long for him to feel sick and throw up it all up a few minutes later. He felt ashamed for doing that, he felt sorry for not being in control of his own body. He felt guilty as he realized that he let Eric’s precious food go to waste. When he flushed the toilet he felt like crying. The hunger was still there, and no amount of food could satisfy it.

Without anything better to do, Mark lazily walked around the house. He examined every single room of the place. He eventually came across his Bechstein piano. He sat at the instrument and ran his fingers along its fine surface. He wondered if Eric thought of Joey whenever he played the classics. Mark wondered if his ex would think of his twin if he saw him sitting there. The teenager stretched his fingers and tried to remember the old piano classes he and Joey used to have had since the age of 7. Mark started playing every single tune that came to his mind. He played without technique or perfection, he played ignoring missing notes, he lacked solidity and pace, but he didn’t stop playing. He was never good at it, he never had patience or interest for the instrument. He gave up on the piano because fortunately, Joey was great at it, and at least someone in the family would fulfil that fancy musical role in the Tuan family. Now Mark wasn’t trying to impress his piano teacher or his parents, actually he never really did to impress them. But at that moment, he played to mute that screaming hunger tearing his insides apart. Without even noticing it himself, both his fingers, and his throat sought to subdue the disarranged uproar dancing in his soul. Mark wailed and played incessantly, till he felt a hand reach for his arm and interrupt the _unrhythmic_ purging of an emptiness he could not fight.

“Mark?! Are you all right?” Eric’s frightened voice seemed to wake him from a nightmare.

“Yeah, of course.” He said quickly and swallowed.

“You scared me shitless! I heard you were screaming from the driveway, are you sure you are okay?” The idol sat beside him and touched his face.

“Who did you see?” the teenager asked, ignoring the other’s question.

“What?” Eric seemed lost.

“Who was playing when you entered the house? Me or him?” Mark insisted in a more urgent tone.

“Mark, I don’t get it. Are you sure you are okay?” The wide-eyed idol was taken aback.

“Who the fuck did you see, me or Joey?!” Mark yelled at him as he stood up and took a few steps away from the instrument. Eric eyed him in a mix of concern and confusion.

“You were playing the piano, Little Rooster. Of course, it was you. Who else could it be?” He abandoned the piano and cautiously walked in his direction. “It sounded awful, by the way. Worse than the old days. My ears were about to bleed.” The idol added, making a face. Mark chuckled without much emotion.

“Thanks.” The teenager said out of the blue, and sighed in relief.

“Why are you thanking me for? For criticizing your unique lack of skills?” the older said jokingly as he winked at him. Eric knew that Mark appreciated his honesty. Actually, his ex never cared about what people said regarding his disastrous musical abilities.

“For seeing me. For recognizing me during my shitty performance.” Mark replied and he stared deeply into his eyes.

“I see you, Mark.” Eric realized what he meant and he wanted to reassure his ex of that. Mark was no longer a shadow of Joey in his eyes, he had his own light and darkness.

“Dorine can’t see me. She refuses to do it.” The teenager commented as he took his cellphone out of the pocket of his trainers and showed him the message he received from his mom.

“I’m sorry, dear.” Eric swiftly removed his eyes from the text and brought Mark to him. He engulfed the teenager in his arms. Mark hugged him back, but before Eric could lose himself in the smell of his hair and neck, the embrace was broken. “She’ll eventually regret leaving you, and she’ll come back.” Mark didn’t comment on it, he just let Eric lead him to the living room and bring him to the couch. “You can talk to me about anything. You know that. I see you, and I wanna hear you, Markie.”

“Do you know what I especially missed when she left me in America and came to Korea?” Mark dejected look almost brought tears to his eyes.

“No, I don’t.” he replied attentively.

“A few weeks after Joey and dad died, we didn’t talk much. Most days she wouldn’t even look me in the face. Then, out of the blue, she started this nightly ritual of hers. I don’t know if she was on her pills or simply out of them. But she would often walk around the house late at night, and the last spot she would visit was the corridor that led to mine and my brother’s room. She kept his door locked after the accident, but during her creepy midnight rounds, she would stop in front of Joey’s bedroom door and simple stare at it. She would not move nor say anything, she just stood there as quietly as a ghost. Since Joey’s room was across from mine, I just laid there in my bed and pretended to be asleep while I beheld the horror movie-like scene unfolding before me. I always anticipated what she would do next. Without fail, she would turn around, enter my room, sit on the edge of my bed and sing me a lullaby. She would gently pat my hair and softly kiss my eyelids while she was at it. Her voice never sounded so soothing and her hands never felt so soft. Then she would stand up slowly, and say ‘ _good night sweet Joey’_.” A distraught Mark paused, with a faraway look on his face. Eric put a sympathetic hand on his knee and the teenager gave him a broken smile before he continued. “The first couple of days that she started doing that shit, I was kinda freaked out and worried about her mental health. I feared that she had finally gone nuts. I had no idea if she was sleepwalking or just possessed by some unknown entity. I think I’ll never know. The truth is, she was never that nice to me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was really seeing Joey, every night she stopped by my room and acted like the sweetest mother in the world. To be honest, I guess we both used this weird routine of hers as some sort of therapy. She could pretend that she still had Joey and I could pretend I had a mother. Every night, at least for some miserable weeks, I was Dorine’s only and favorite son.” 

“Mark, you never told me about that. It’s quite disturbing. You shouldn’t let her do that to you. That kind of thing was far from being therapeutic or healthy. Jesus Christ! Let’s just forget about your mom for a moment, okay?” A sympathetic Eric suggested as he held Mark’s hands in his. The older wondered how Mark was able to handle his mother during all those 17 years of his life. He was about to ask Mark if he had eaten anything, when a firm knocking on his front door interrupted them. Both the teenager and the idol eyed the door with curiosity and alarm. The voice outside sounded determined as the banging on the door.

“ _Eric Nam, open up. I know he’s in there.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's knocking on Nam's door?XD


	42. I Am Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You can take this mouth,this wound you want, but you can't kiss and make it better.”  
> ― Daphne Gottlieb

Eric told Mark to go upstairs and hide, but the teenager refused to. After his mother's text, he felt that he was ready to face their guest with absolute confidence. After all, he believed that he had nothing to do with the man anymore and he had no reason to avoid him. Then a stubborn Mark remained seated on his ex's couch and signaled him to open the door. He recognized that voice and he did not feel intimidated by it. The idol shook his head at him in disapproval, but invited their guest in.

"Good evening, Mr. Lim. To what do I owe this honor?" Eric sounded polite, but his expression was far from being welcoming. The principal stepped in the living room following his unwilling host. He gasped when his eyes laid on the teenager on the couch a few feet away from him. The man froze on the spot when Mark's indifferent stare fell on him.

"Ricky, will you give us a moment, please?" The younger requested in an overly composed manner. Eric wanted to protest. He promised Mark that he would protect him from that family, but something in the teenager's eyes told the idol that he wasn't the one who needed protection at that moment. He frowned at his ex, but didn't question him.

"Scream if you need me." The idol said, before he gave Mark a reassuring look and left the two alone in his living room.

"How did you know I was here?" The American asked dryly. Taek-geun slowly walked to the other couch across from him and gave him a tiny smile. It was a very faint one, but Mark could notice it.

"A very wise young man called Kim Yugyeom." He replied quietly. Mark eyed him with perplexity.

"That's impossible, I haven't talked to Gyeom-"

"After visiting Nam, your boyfriend Wang was convinced that your ex knew where you could be found. He confided in Yugyeom his suspicions. It seems that Jackson is smarter than we thought. He didn't say anything to my sons, or Choi Youngjae, who could possibly share this delicate information with Jaebeom. Therefore, he went to his youngest friend and asked for his advice. Yugyeom then turned to me for guidance. Then I came here looking for answers. I didn't know I'd actually find you here. When I knocked on that door, I just assumed that if I pretended to know where you were, Nam would let me in." Mr. Lim explained, as he eyed Mark with a mix of worry and curiosity. "Have you been eating? Where's your mother, Mark?" He asked, but the teenager simply ignored his questions.

"So Yugyeom decided to call you and open his big mouth!? Fuck, has he turned into Bambam all of a sudden?" Mark felt betrayed, and he wondered how Jackson figured out his whereabouts.

"He had enough common sense to contact someone who could actually bring you and your mom home, safe and sound." Taek-geun said calmly, as he further studied the teenager's pale complexion, tired eyes, and his obvious weight loss.

"I don't have a home. Get the hell out!" Mark gritted his teeth, as he tapped his foot on the floor. He didn't raise his voice, but he didn't sound friendly either.

"Mark, will you please get your mother here so we can talk?"

"I wouldn't do it, even if I knew where she was. For your own sake."

"What's that supposed to mean? Is she out?" The principal asked puzzled, and the teenager didn't intend to hide another harsh truth from him.

"She fucking left me alone in a freaking hotel room and sent me a damn message telling me not to look for her. How does that sound to you, huh? Are you proud of the woman you married? Do you really think she's the kind of stepmom you want to have around your sons?" The upset teenager said at once as he dig his nails into his palm. Taek-geun was astonished.

"What?! Mark...Are you serious? I mean, are you sure she didn't go back to the hotel? I don't believe-" 

"She texted Eric and told him to pick me up. She practically gave me up for adoption!" the teenager fumed. His stepfather was appalled.

"Kid, why didn't you contact me before? Did you know how worried I was? How guilty I felt? Look, I know I lost all the little respect you had for me in that teachers' room, but I don't want you to see me as your enemy. I need you to understand that it was hard for me to find out everything that was happening between my sons and stepson that way! To hear all of that from my detestable former father in law was a great blow. These days I had a chance to sit down with both of my kids and listen to their version of the story. But I never heard yours! Mark, I screwed up, I know I did. But I'm not perfect, okay? I really should've handled things differently. I let you and Dorine down, but it won't happen again. I don’t know where she is, but I promise you I’ll find her. I admit that I'm still in pieces after losing my sons to JYP, I still don't think I'll ever get used to see you and Jinyoung together, but since there's nothing I can do about any of it, I'm willing to try and wrap my head around this new reality we are in. Please, just try-"

"I don’t wanna hear it. I thought I asked you to leave." Mark cut him off, impatiently. He didn’t want the principal to see how his words overwhelmed him. He could not believe his own ears. Was his stepfather about to accept his relationship with his stepbrother? Was that man for real? How come he was so understanding and Dorine wasn’t? He couldn’t help but envy Jaebeom and Jinyoung for having such an unusual dad. The teenager couldn’t conceive the fact that his own mother had given up on him but Taek-geun was there apologizing and worrying about him. "Will you please just leave me alone?" The American's tone was still sharp, but less hostile.

"You still have a home, kid. The Lims' residence belongs to you too. No matter what happens between your mother and I from now on, that door will always be open for you. Being alone and hiding from the ones who love you is not the solution. Whatever your mom did to you in the past, or in the present, cannot be undone. But, it's up to you to let that drag you down or not. You will always have my support, and this time I really mean it. I just want you to know that. My boys will be moving to JYPE's dormitory tomorrow and so will your four other friends. They signed contracts too, and they did it willingly." Taek-geun said softly as he eyed the boy fondly. The American took a couple of seconds to register everything he heard. His eyes watered slightly. The loyalty of Got6 was admirable. He always knew his friends meant to become idols someday, but he didn't think they would be signing contracts so soon. He could guess that the boys only did it because Jackson and the twins were now officially trainees of JYP Entertainment.

"I'm sorry about the full custody thing." Mark whispered almost inaudible. "I know it must have not been easy."

"Sorry for calling you an ungrateful little shit. I know how bad it sounded, but I didn't really mean it." The principal apologized again and Mark simply nodded to him. So Mr. Lim stood up, walked to the couch Mark was sitting and took a pair of car keys out of his pocket. He waved them in front of Mark's face.

"What are these for?" Mark's eyes were wide now. He recognized those keys.

"Although I'm very exhausted, I drove all the way here because of you and your mom. Care to give me a ride home?" The principal smiled once more, and this time, his smile seemed more confident.

"I'm not coming back there. I need some time to think." Mark informed him quietly and sighed.

"Fair enough. Just the ride home will do for now. You drive me there, and you can come back here if you like. The car is yours anyway, son."

"I'm not your-"

"Son. Sorry, about that." Taek-geun grinned. Mark huffed a laugh.

"You are a strange man, Mr. Lim." Mark felt somewhat lighter and he realized that every time he would sit down with the principal and have a chat, he felt like he learned something about himself and came to terms with it. After exchange a few words with the man, he realized that he was a stupid idiot who kept losing his way even though an easier path presented itself before him.

"Come on, you owe me a ride. And I owe you one last car lesson." The Korean man insisted, as he dropped the keys on the boys' lap. The latter hesitated for a minute.

"All right." The American replied a bit uncertain and stood up with the keys in hand. "Are you confident enough to believe that I'll be successful this time?"

"You started the car once, it's your choice what to do next. You decide to drive it backwards, forward, or you can simple be stuck in the same place. You control the vehicle, not the other way around. Keep that in mind. Just know I’ll be there right by your side." He winked at the kid and walked to the door. The teenager wondered if the man was still talking about the car or something else. Mark took a deep breath and followed the man out. He didn't even tell Eric where he was going. He put on his shoes, closed the door behind him and got into the car with his stepfather. Mark successfully turned the key in the ignition and slowly drove the car away from the idol's house.

Taek-geun gave him the directions and it didn't take long for Mark to reach their destination. The car ride was smooth, no major mistakes, nor sudden last moment decisions. Stable.

"How do you feel?" The principal asked, as he glanced at the teenager behind the wheel. Mark had properly parked the car in front of the Lims' residence and he could barely believe they both made it there alive.

"Okay, I guess. A bit surprised to be honest. Unexpectedly accomplished. " Mark confessed, as he gazed at his own hands resting on the driving wheel.

"Thanks for the ride, kid. Are you sure you don't wanna come in?" Taek-geun gave him a hopeful look as he opened the door of the car.

"Maybe another day. Just…don’t tell them where I am." Mark replied, giving him an apologetic smile. "Thanks for the car, by the way. Now I definitely feel like I own it. I'll ride it well, and I promise to be in control of its destiny."

"You're a fast learner." The principal commented proudly and stepped out of the vehicle. "Think about what I said-"

"Mark?!" Someone exclaimed a few feet away from them before Taek-geun could finish his sentence. The principal took a few steps away from the car and turned around to see his youngest son staring at them in awe.

In one minute, Jinyoung was at the front door of the house, and in the other, he was dashing to the car. His father held him by the arm and pulled him back when he tried to reach the door of the vehicle. Mark was suddenly overwhelmed to see him there, so close. He didn’t expect to hear his voice now, nor the despair in it. For a few seconds, he didn't know what to do.

"Father, let me go! What's wrong with you? How did you find him? Mark? Mark, open the door, talk to me, get out of this car!" The younger shouted and soon his twin could be seen walking out of the house too. 

"Jin, not now. Just let him go." Mr. Lim hushed his son, without freeing his arms.

Mark nervously started the car and took off before Jaebeom could reach the driveway. He could see through his rearview mirror the perplexed faces of his stepbrothers that soon disappeared with the distance the car took from their house.

When Mark returned to Eric's place, the idol was at the front door waiting for him. Mark didn't even looked him in the eye when he walked past him and entered the house. He could hear the other questioning him about who was the owner of that car and why he had brought it there, but the teenager wasn't interested in his doubts, his mind was somewhere else. He couldn't erase Jinyoung's face and voice from his mind. He wondered why he didn't step out of the car and threw himself in the boy's arms. He missed him like crazy, but still, he left him behind. He just couldn't understand why he did it.

"Why the hell did you leave without telling me anything? Where did you go with him?" Eric raised his voice now, in order to draw his attention to him. The idol sounded mad and Mark could tell that he wouldn't be able to ignore him for too long.

"I took him home. That's all." The teenager said quickly, as he headed for the stairs. Eric took a strong hold of his arm. It was clear that he wouldn't let his ex walk away from that conversation.

"And they let you come back here? What about your boyfriend? Did you see him?" Eric didn't want to know that, but he needed to hear that.

"They are not the ones who decide whether I stay with them or not. I make my own decisions. And yes, I saw Jinyoung. Can I go upstairs now, mom?" Mark asked in a sarcastic tone as he glanced at Eric's hold on his arm and then glared at him.

"Mark I thought we had agreed that it would be better for you to stay away from the Lims." The older swallowed as he released the boy's arm.

"I didn't agree on anything. You just assumed that I would. I honestly don’t care what you think about my relationship with this family." Mark said sharply as he crossed his arms.

"Are you going back to that house? Do you think your stepfather will let you date his son? Do you think JYP will give you two his blessings? Mark, just forget this kid and move on, okay? You're miserable because of him." Eric shook his head at the teenager, as he tried to reason with him.

"Will you please stop meddling with my life? This becoming annoying, man. I am not asking for your opinion or anything." Mark said in a colder tone.

"Listen to me! I know you don't want to hear what I have to say, but you must." The idol inhaled. "You're allowing this kid to take control of your life! You became a criminal because of him! He's the reason why you weren't able to have a proper relationship with Jackson, and he's the reason why your mom left. And guess what!? He might also be the reason why she refuses to come back! You're putting him first! And you still feel bad because Dorine left! Can you blame her? She probably couldn’t stand the fact that her only son is ruining his life because of a psychotic good- for-nothing! If I were in her shoes, I’d walk away from you too, Mark! Who wouldn't?!" Eric said without thinking. A down in the mouth Mark blinked a few times, and his only response was to push the older away and run upstairs.

"Mark, wait! I didn't mean it!" Eric said as he ran after him. The teenager entered in his bedroom and was about to close the door behind him when Eric's foot got in the way.

"Leave me alone, Eric." Mark pleaded weakly, his face moist with tears. He still tried to close the door, though his ex's foot made that simple task impossible.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Please don't lock yourself up now. Come on out, okay? Let's talk about this. Don't cry, Markie. I just don't want you to keep suffering for someone like him. Your pain ain’t love." The older insisted in a softer tone. Mark only started to cry harder when he finally released the door. Eric took him in his arms. The teenager allowed that contact and let himself be hugged. The older whispered a couple of 'I'm sorrys' next to his ear and Mark seemed to relax a bit. Eric's arms only left Mark when the latter stopped crying. The teenager was still drying his tears when the idol lifted his head up and caressed his neck. Eric's touch was warm and soothing. The teenager closed his eyes for a moment as he focused on the gentle strokes on the back of his neck. He abruptly opened his eyes again when he felt the other's lips crash on his. A flustered Mark pulled away quickly, with one hand on his mouth. He briefly eyed the other with surprise.

"What the fuck was that?" The teenager whispered, as he avoided his ex's eyes. Eric seemed speechless and equally taken aback. An uncomfortable silence fell between the two. The idol also looked away embarrassedly. Before he could say anything in his defense, his cellphone vibrated in his pocket. He was about to ignore it, but he recognized his manager's ringtone and unwillingly took the call. The teenager heard his ex talk hurriedly with someone on the other line and then pause. Mark waited for him to say something, anything. Eric finally eyed him awkwardly and gave him an apologetic smile.

"It's about tomorrow's schedule, I'll take this outside. Don't go anywhere. I'll be back and we’ll talk about this." Eric said in a hurry as he exited the room, leaving a confused Mark behind.

The disconcerted teenager stayed in the room for a couple of minutes and climbed down the stairs. Eric was at the balcony still taking with his manager when Mark made his way to the idol's wine cellar. The boy eyed the row of bottles before him and took one out. He brought it to the kitchen and didn't even bother to find a glass. He simply opened the bottle of wine and chugged it down. He hadn't had anything to eat for a while and his intention of getting drunk pretty fast could be easily achieved. The last thing Mark wanted to do was to think about what had just happened. So he intoxicated his mind in order to disconnect his head from that kiss and from Eric’s cruel words. He especially wanted to forget what his ex said regarding Dorine's decision to leave. And above all, he didn't want to remember the expression on Jinyoung's face when he briefly saw him in front of the Lim's residence. Mark needed to drown his sorrows. Mr. Lim made him feel lighter a while ago, but now he felt like the idol had led him to a dark place again.

Eric spent one hour and a half on the phone, till his manager decided to let finish the call. As soon as he left the balcony, he hurried to the stairs to find the teenager, but turned around when he noticed that the kitchen's light was on. He quickly went there to turn the light off, and got the shock of his life when he found Mark's unconscious body on the kitchen's floor. The bottle of wine was almost empty and the rest of its content formed a puddle of red liquid around the younger.

"Oh my fucking God!" The worried idol exclaimed when he kneeled beside the teenager and went for his pulse. He sighed in relief when he noticed Mark was still breathing. He slapped his face gently and soon got a drunk response from the other.

"Why are you hitting me for?" The drunk teenager asked, as he smiled widely at Eric. The idol gave him a reproving look and started to stand up when Mark pulled him down again. Eric stumbled back on the floor beside him and before he could realize what was going on, Mark climbed on top of him.

"Get off me, kid. You're drunk as fuck." The older groaned.

"Are you mad?" A flushed Mark smiled drunkenly at the other. Eric still remembered Mark's M.O. when they attended those never ending parties back in LA. Whenever he got drunk, he would get incredibly playful, adventurous and surprisingly horny. However, it wouldn't take long for him to pass out in the middle of a make out session.

"No. I'm just disappointed. I don't like when you drink." Eric replied as he tried to push Mark away from him. But Mark knew very well how to immobilize someone. Eric tried to ignore the fact that Mark straddling him and the younger's buttocks were practically sitting on his crotch. Every move the teenager made upon him, sent shivers down his spine. The younger seemed to notice that. 

"Oh, yeah? Don't lie to me, Ricky. You love when I drink. You do remember how we used to have fun with our clothes on, right? " Mark said seductively before he bit his lips. The teenager rubbed himself against Eric and ran his hands across his chest. Eric tried to capture the bold fingers that kept finding their way to his nipples. But Mark held his wrists above his head and started distributing kisses across his face and neck. Eric couldn't help but moan.

"Mark, don't." The older begged, yet his hips bucked upwards against the teenager's ass. Another groan escaped his throat when the teenager nibbled at his earlobe. Mark could already feel Eric's hard on underneath him and he knew that every single movement he made aroused the idol even more.

"Don't what, Ricky? You don't want me to touch you?" The teenager chuckled, as he released his ex's wrists and smiled upon him. Colors rose to Mark's cheeks and ears when he felt Eric's hands stroke his thighs and rest in front of his pants.

"Perhaps without clothes on this time?" Eric suggested, unable to think straight with the younger so close to him. He waited for this moment for so long that he didn't want to miss that opportunity of making Mark his. He was totally inebriated by the boy's innocent stare and his gorgeous face. He was amused by the timid expression on his features. After all that time, Mark seemed to still shy away from the mention of something bolder when the topic was sex. Even though he wasn't a virgin anymore, Eric found that extremely cute. He was dying to explore the soft skin underneath those loose clothes. He was enthralled by his scent, he was fascinated by the possible consummation of an old strong desire. He wanted to have Mark now, and he wanted all of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is any Markjin, Markbum, Markjinson or Markson shipper still alive?XD  
> Do not die yet.


	43. Outta my head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Every habit he's ever had is still there in his body, lying dormant like flowers in the desert. Given the right conditions, all his old addictions would burst into full and luxuriant bloom.”  
> ― Margaret Atwood

"Are you sure? I don't know." A reticent Mark huffed a nervous laugh. Even in his drunk state he hesitated. He had no intention of going that far with the older. He didn't know what he was doing but he had a lingering idea of what he shouldn't do. On the other hand, he was hard too, and miserably drunk to deny that kind of distraction. It had been a stressful week and the hunger was still there. He yearned to put that itching void to sleep. He just wanted to let it go and feel something other than disappointment and rejection. 

"Come here, kid. Let me take care of you." Before Mark could say something else. Eric flipped over an indecisive Mark, changing positions with him. 

"Wow, my back." Mark complained, as his bruised back came in contact with the hard floor. 

"Sorry, love." Nam gave him an apologetic smile, but didn't stop his advances. Now he was on top of the uncertain teenager and his lips were fast to capture Mark's. Fully exploring their taste and texture. When his tongue invaded the younger's mouth, his hands were already pulling Mark's sweatpants down with his boxers. The teenager moaned into the kiss when he felt Eric stroke his dick. When his ex released his mouth, Mark was already panting. The older pulled the teenager's sweater up and spread kisses and nibbles all over his chest. Soon his ex's tongue travelled to the boy's belly button and Mark could already anticipate the sensation of having a warm mouth around his hard cock.

"Fuck." The teenager closed his eyes when he felt Eric kiss his erection. His mind pictured someone else. His body ached for someone else's touch. A face was engraved in his brains and in his heart.

"You taste like heaven, Markie." Eric whispered sexily, as he licked his tip. Mark couldn't help but have flashes of the three people who were allowed to have that kind of intimacy with him. Jaebeom, Jackson, Jinyoung. All of them had their unique way of making him feel good. He remembered how a hot JB pleasured him under the shower, how a godlike Jackson made him see stars with his Chinese whispering and how an irresistible Jinyoung made him almost come with a simple kiss. The teenager was completely lost in the sensations his ex's mouth stole from him and the mental pictures that flooded his mind. However, when Eric increased the sucking on his dick, and he came inside the other's throat, only one name escaped from his lips.

"Nyoungie." 

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" An irked Eric asked, as he moved away from him a bit to spit the teenager's cum on the floor. However, when he lifted his eyes to meet Mark's, the boy was already fast asleep. Eric’s desire was gone. He knew then, he couldn’t get that boy out of Mark’s head.

The idol cursed himself as he eyed the sleeping boy on the bed. After the episode in the kitchen, Eric carried a sleeping Mark to the bedroom, got rid of his wine stained clothes, cleaned his body with a wet towel and put his ex in the bed. While he cleaned the younger and rubbed some ointment on the bruise on his back, he noticed how the bones there seemed to stick out more. His ex had always been slim, but not that thin. He blamed himself for not paying more attention to Mark's health. He knew he wasn't eating, but he didn't want to force him to do it. Now he wished he had. As a matter of fact, he regretted a lot of things at that moment, especially falling in love again. Yes, he finally admitted to himself. He loved Mark. He wondered if he had ever fallen out of love with him. What happened in that kitchen wasn't simply an action moved by lust, he knew that. It hurt him to see his ex so infatuated with someone else, risking his future to secure someone else's. He remembered how it used to feel being loved by Mark, and the fact that Jinyoung conquered the teenager's heart in such a short amount of time, made him unexpectedly jealous. There was no doubt Mark was head over heels for the Korean. After all Jinyoung had done, Eric couldn't conceive that unbelievable truth. The skillful young Lim got rid of all his competitors. First he caused Mark's breakup with his long-distance boyfriend, then he precipitated the end of Mark's relationship with Jackson, and even before that, he had already put all his efforts into keeping Jaebeom away, and at bay. Eric was astonished by the kid's cunning and obvious luck. Although Jinyoung was a master of manipulation, he still had Mark's unconditional love. And suddenly Eric wished he was him. And only now the idol understood how it felt to be invisible, to be unseen. He was the one pleasuring Mark in that kitchen, but instead of acknowledging Eric's hands and mouth on him, the teenager saw someone else. A person that was not there, but would always be there. And when his orgasm reached its peak, it was Jinyoung who took over his mind. That realization crushed Eric, especially now, that he came to the conclusion that maybe his feelings for Mark had always been there, dormant, waiting to be awaken and nurtured. Maybe he fooled himself into thinking that music could fill the emptiness Mark's absence had left in him. Maybe he himself believed he was over him just to protect his own heart, to keep himself from visiting a certain bridge.

The idol was disappointed in himself. Eric usually had self-control. He dated Mark before, and he respected his limits. But hours earlier, when they were both on the floor of his kitchen, he ignored the fact that the younger was not sober. His ex flirted, teased, and dry humped him, but none of his drunken actions gave him the right to go any further. He knew Mark was drunk, he knew how he acted while drunk and he knew he shouldn't have let the younger tempt him. Mark was seventeen, he was almost twenty one. He was the adult there and he felt like he should've acted like one. Alcohol never walked hand in hand with consent. He felt ashamed and conflicted. He felt like he was no better than Jinyoung, who once drugged Mark and took pictures of his naked body. He felt like a dirty molester, even though it was just a blowjob and Mark didn’t tell him to stop. He didn't trust himself around the teenager anymore. Eric then convinced himself that Mark had to go, for both their sakes. He just had to figure out where to put him. After beating himself up, he promised himself that he would apologize to his ex next morning and find somewhere else for him to stay. After hating himself a bit more, the idol crawled beside a sleeping Mark in the bed and allowed himself to get some sleep.

Next morning Mark woke up with a major hangover. His phone woke him up. He had a new message:

_'You were supposed to be at JYPE building at 8 o' clock sharp. Your lateness will not be overlooked. It's already 10. Do not forget you signed a contract. An important meeting awaits you. Stop hiding in Nam Yoon-Do's place. It would be a pity to have a young blooming singer_ _implicated in a shameful scandal with a minor. '_

_JYP._

Mark eyed the text with despise. Of course the old man had his number, of course he knew where he was, and whom he was with. Of course he had eyes and ears everywhere, and obviously, his last sentence was a threat. The teenager had almost forgotten that he had sold his soul to the devil in order to keep Jackson, Jinyoung and himself away from prison. Now it was time to honour his word. Therefore, the teenager unwillingly got up from the bed to get ready for the supposed meeting that had probably ended already without him.

As soon as he abandoned the bed, his heart skipped a beat. First thing he noticed was that he was in his birthday suit and his ex was fast asleep by his side. Mark took a deep breath and tried to remember what happened between them. Nothing came to his mind and his splitting headache just added to his misery. He wanted to wake Eric and demand answers from him, but it was already 10:15 and he couldn't waste more time in there. That talk would probably ruin his day and take a lot of the time he didn't have. JYP was waiting, and he feared that if he made the man wait a bit more, a scandal would quickly fuck up his ex's career. So he simply got dressed, brushed his teeth, took an aspirin, grabbed his car keys and left the house.

It was pretty easy to find JYP Entertainment's address. As soon as he entered the building and talked to the receptionist, she informed him which room to go and he just followed her directions. When he opened the door of room 707, he was quickly met by the anxious looks of his six friends and also a stranger, who eyed him with disdain.

"Finally! You must be Mark Tuan Yi-en, am I right?" the woman asked abruptly as she stood up and walked in his direction. The American tried to avoid the burning looks he was receiving and just nodded to her. The woman briefly shook hands with him and claimed to be one of the CEO's assistant. "I'm Kim Go-eun, welcome to the JYPE family. Well, due to your lateness, the boss had to leave without clarifying some details of the 7-year contract that you and your friends signed. I am here to emphasize some clauses of the document. Please, have a sit." She signaled the teenager to take a sit by her side. Mark couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable under his friends scrutinizing stare.

"First of all, you’ll be moving into one of the company dormitories. You’ll be sharing a room with a couple of other trainees, and you’re supposed to do your best to get along with them. Fights and other personal issues between trainees must be avoided at all costs. Since you’re still a student, you must go to school, and as soon as you’re done with your studies, you shall come back to the company and hurry to your practicing rooms. From now on, you will be taking part in countless activities, aimed at building your career as an idol. You will have etiquette training, essential for any kpop star to learn how to behave in public. You will also have voice training, whether you sing, or rap you’ll have to show up for practice every week. There’s also dance training, so working out and exercising are included in your daily routine in order to increase your body flexibility and maintain your figure. You’re not allowed to have distractions during your classes, so you’ll hand your phone to the manager assigned for the week, or some staff member when you walk into the company building. You’ll get your phone back as soon as you finish your schedule of the day. Since you’re a foreigner, you must have Korean classes. There are also modelling classes, probably the ones you will have less problems with, due to your looks.” The woman took a good look at the American and grinned. “Anyways, a photographer will direct you during this kind of lesson. They will instruct you about all kinds of things, which is your good side and which is not the best. You’ll learn how to smile, sit and stand in front of paparazzis, and so on. There are also acting classes, that will help you improve yourself in front of a camera at award shows, concerts, variety shows and in music videos. Other extra activities may be added to your schedule according to the development of your abilities and skills. You will be allowed to sleep for at most 4 hours and at least 1 hour daily. And last but not least, you must keep in mind that JYPE’s trainees are put on a special diet, so you’ll have specific times during the day when you are allowed to eat, and your meals are strictly monitored. By the looks of it, I’m sure you’ll have extra time to eat. You will definitely have to put on some weight.” She frowned at him.

“What about the weekends? Do we get a break at some point?” Mark was taken aback with the amount of activities he would have to deal with now that he was a slave to that company. Korean schools were already a nightmare. Attending classes at Kirin High and doing all that work afterwards would surely wear him down sooner or later.

“On Sundays you are free. But most of our trainees use Sundays to catch up with their school homework, or to diligently work on their personal practices. The company do not force trainees to do personal practices. They do it voluntarily in order to survive the fierce competition of the monthly assessments. Your goal here is to debut Mark-shi, and you can only do that if you outdo yourself and overshadow your fellow colleagues. We have hundreds of young people aiming for the same goal here, yet only a few trainees get the chance to make a debut. Now which type of trainee are you? The one who is usually a pale shadow of others, or the one who never fails to overshadow your peers? You must decide that for yourself.” She explained him carefully. Mark was speechless. He never handled competitions well. He could try to compete with Joey for his parents’ attention, but he never dared to.

“Will I share the dorm with them?” Mark glanced timidly at the others, who were strangely silent the whole time. He suddenly became insecure about that whole trainee thing. If he had his friends close, he would at least find some sort of solace in their company.

“Maybe. I’m not responsible for the dorm arrangements, you‘ll find out that soon when the manager of the week assign you a room. Even if you do not end up sharing a room with your fellow comrades, you’ll certainly have lessons in common. So you’ll be seeing each other. By the way, both Jaebeom-shi and Jinyoung-shi are not to supposed to reveal their connection with the boss in any circumstance. Any information about their family background must be kept in secret. Your friends have already been warned about that and the director also expect some discretion from your part. None of you in this room should expect any kind of especial treatment or unprofessional favours because you entered the company without going through formal auditions. On the contrary, you will have to prove yourselves constantly, no matter the hardships you all may have to go through. I assure you, there will certainly be many." She stressed with a nod of her head. "No one must know you were personally invited by the director to join the company." She paused for a second when Jaebeom made an uncomfortable noise. "Do you have any questions Park Jaebeom-shi? She asked in a serious tone.

"It's not Park. It’s Lim Jaebeom." He corrected her firmly, and made his point. "Some of us weren't cordially invited to join this company you call JYPE family." Jaebeom stated sourly. Mark appreciated the sound of his determined voice. He quickly glanced at the maknaes. Bambam and Yugyeom seemed to have a lot to say too, but kept to themselves. When his eyes met Youngjae, the other simply gave him an almost undetectable smile of support. Jackson hung his head down all the time and Jinyoung travelled everywhere, his eyes focused on everyone, but him.

"Please, only interrupt me if you have questions." She added with a stern look and continued. "I must remind you that your grandfather has great expectations of you and your friends. The 7 of you ought to work harder than the other trainees. According to my boss, you boys have a debt with him and that fact must never be overlooked. Monthly assessments will be made to check on your improvement as artists, and you’d better do your best to get satisfactory responses." Her eyes surveyed each one of the young men in the room. "If any of you fail to meet your coaches’ expectations, punishments shall be delivered accordingly.

"What kind of punishment?" Yugyeom asked, a bit tense.

"I'll leave that to your imagination Kim Yugyeom-shi. There are different levels of punishment, depending on the error committed by the trainee, but I assure you that many young people end up giving up their dreams when they face the challenging routine of a JYPE trainee." Go-eun declared emotionlessly. "Only real warriors of strong mindsets are able to successfully debut and achieve some sort of freedom in their idol careers. Still, complete freedom is not possible when you become a K-pop star, the limitations are just different.

"When do we actually start getting paid?” Bambam asked out of the blue.

“Bhuwakul-shi, you signed a 7-year contract that establishes that JYPE will train you, feed you and pay for all the fees you pile up throughout your years here. As soon as you debut, all your profits will belong to the company until you pay off all your debts. If you become an instant star and sell a lot, it won’t take long for you to clear all your debts and start making money for yourself.” She said simply.

“With so much pressure and burdens we don’t actually have time to get laid, do we?” Bambam asked randomly, making his hyungs gasp. Mark could swear that he heard a chuckle escape Jackson’s throat, but he kept his head down. Kim Go-eun seemed unaffected by the teenager’s bluntness.

“Your schedule will be packed. You can’t have any social media. Dating is forbidden in the company grounds. That’s why female and male dorms are separated. You’re not here to get laid, you’re here to make something of yourself.” She clarified calmly, oblivious to the fact that the Thai boy wasn’t looking forward to meet female trainees in there. “Any more questions?” she inquired, but the young men simple shook their heads. Kim Go-eun handed them some forms and pens and continued. “I'll need you to fill out this form with some important personal information, regarding allergies, health problems, your goal as an artist and so on. I'll be out for a while revising other documents in another room. I'll be back in 15 minutes to collect your forms. Now, I'll give you all some time to catch up." Go-eun smiled politely and walked out of the room, allowing the boys some time for themselves. As soon as she was gone, a loud voice regarded the American.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Mark!?” Jaebeom seemed to unleash all the irritation he held back while his grandfather’s assistant was in the room. The American looked down, too ashamed to start building a defense for himself when his stepbrother marched in his direction. “After that fucking phone call I thought you had died or something! Then you suddenly show up at our fucking driveway like nothing happened just to take off like that?! Do we even mean anything to you!?” JB demanded as he folded his arms across his chest and towered over the American.

“Hey, calm down, okay. He obviously had his reasons to keep his distance from us.” Youngjae chimed in, as he gave his boyfriend a warning look. JB had promised him not to lose his cool when Mark decide to show up, but suddenly, he was finding hard to control his temper.

“Oh, I bet he was too busy enjoying the company of a celebrity. Why would his friends mean anything to him when he had Eric Fucking Nam by his side?” Bambam said in a sarcastic tone. Mark lifted his eyes to meet the Thai boy’s.

“How do you know-”

“J.Y. Park actually showed up for this meeting earlier. He told us where you’ve been staying. I’m not judging you, hyung. But would it kill you to tell us you were living with your ex? I mean, is he even still your ex? I don’t understand why you shut us out like that. It was mean.” Yugyeom commented, a bit disappointed. Mark could barely look JB in the eye before, now that they all knew where he was staying all this time, the American felt like running away from there. He wondered why Jinyoung was so quiet. Why he hadn’t exploded yet.

“Mark! Are you deaf? Don’t you have anything to say to us?!” Jaebeom’s grave voice resounded in the room, but when his hand reached the older’s chin and forced Mark’s face to turn to him, someone decided to intervene.

“Sweetheart, you look like death. Are you sick? Come on out with me for a bit, okay? There’s a canteen outside. Let’s find something to eat. We’ll fill out this ridiculous form later.” Jackson removed JB’s hands from the American’s face and pushed him out of their away. No one stopped him when he took a hold of Mark’s hand and dragged the American outside. Jaebeom called after them, but Youngjae managed to keep his boyfriend from following the pair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a hundred ways to fix this situation...


	44. 100 Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There's a hundred ways to leave a lover, I won't wait a minute longer.  
> Hundred ways to leave. But I'm the only one that you need." ~ Wang Jackson

“Why aren’t you eating?” Jackson asked quietly as he took a sip of his milkshake. The two foreigners where sitting together at a table in JYPE’s canteen for almost 10 minutes, and Mark still remained silent. Jackson bought them milkshake and fries, but the American didn’t touch any of it. The worry in the Hongkonger’s eyes bothered the older, so he decided to speak.

“I’m not hungry. Stop looking at me like that.” Mark mumbled, but his mind was somewhere else. He wondered if JYP knew where his mother was since the old man was constantly keeping an eye on him. He thought that maybe, the CEO could give his some clues regarding her whereabouts.

“I missed you. I can’t help but look at you.” Jackson said simply, as he put one hand over Mark’s shoulder, but immediately removed it. “How are you doing?” he asked softly. Mark felt like he was trying to torture him with kindness. He didn’t expect that, he refused to be consoled by him.

“Fine. You?” Mark looked away and bit his lower lip.

“Better now that I am here with you.” The younger replied quietly and silence fell between them.

“Aren’t you gonna interrogate me? Ask what I was doing at Eric’s house?” Mark hated that silence. The Hongkonger was never the silent type and he knew that something had changed between them after the break up. He wished things were just like before that ominous party at Eric’s house.

“JB asked, you didn’t answer. It’s obvious you don’t feel like talking about it, so I won’t ask. You say you’re fine, but you don’t look fine, so I’ll wait till you feel like opening up to me. I don’t wanna push you.” Jackson reassured him with a compassionate smile.

“I wished I had the courage to contact you guys, but I just couldn’t.” The American closed his eyes for a brief second and sighed.

“Was it your mom? She forbid you from talking to us?” Jackson asked tentatively.

“No. As if. I don’t even know where she is. I-I wish I knew.” Mark confessed as he started sobbing. Jackson immediately left his seat and pulled Mark to him. He took the American in his arms and the latter appreciated his gesture. He hugged him back, ignoring the looks they were getting from other tables.

“It’s okay, Markiepoo. I got you sweetie. Cry as much as you want. We don’t have to go anywhere right now. Just let it all out.” The Hongkonger said, as the older clung to him and wet Jackson’s shirt with his tears. When Mark calmed down a bit, he returned to his seat. The American started telling him everything that happened since that afternoon he left Kirin High with his mother. He didn’t comment on the events of the past night because he didn’t even remember how he ended up naked in a bed with his ex. Actually, he didn’t care if he had had sex with Eric or not at that point. He was just going to pretend it never happened. He would ask his ex to also erase that night from his mind. He was drunk, and Eric, better than anyone else should understand that whatever they did, meant nothing. His love life was already too complicated now, and he didn’t need and idol to fuck it all up a bit more. The Hongkonger listened to him attentively and tranquilized the older. Jackson promised him he would talk to the others about it and that they would understand why Mark was so ashamed to call them.

“Dorine works at Kirin High counseling kids. Bambam thinks she’s awesome. Jaebeom easily got along with her. Taek-geun married her, and even Jiyeong Park once asked my mom to look after her kids after she was gone! I’d hate to be the guy who unmasks the perfect Dorine Tuan in front of everyone. You and Jinyoung kinda knew her true colors. But if I, her own son, told anyone half of the things she did to me, that would destroy her. If I told anyone how she used to be back in America, I don’t think anyone would believe me, and if someone did, she would be unemployed and chastised by her peers. I could even get her in serious trouble with social services. I just couldn’t do it, Jackie. Even though I felt unwanted and discarded, she’s the only family I have left. No matter how terrible I feel for having her as a mother, I bet she feels worse about the fact I was the son who survived.” Mark clarified in an anguished voice.

“Man, will you stop feeling sorry about her? I think it’s about time you leave your mother behind, Mark. I know how bad it sounds, but the faster you let go of her, the better you will feel. I heard this saying before, family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. Got7 is your family now, Markie. They accept you for who you are, but you need to communicate better with us. So we can find ways to help and support you. You gotta trust us. You’re one of the team, it’s 7 or nothing. I had promised myself to stay the fuck away from the Lim twins, but after you disappeared, we united forces to look for you. We called a truce and drove all around Seoul, sometimes with your stepdad, sometimes with the maknaes, and we never gave up on finding you. Jinyoung, Jaebeom, Bambam, Yugyeom, Youngjae, and I skipped classes, lunches and dinners while we were on this mission. You were this link that kept us together, that forced us to work as a group. Finding you was a goal we had in common. And now that you are here, now that we are stronger and complete, we gotta make this new goal of ours work out. We gotta debut, Mark. We’re gonna be huge stars, we’ll take over this fucking company, this fucking country, this fucking world, and at last, give JYP the finger. I’m sure this day will come if we work as a team and support each other as a family.” Jackson held one of his Mark’s hand that was resting on the table and gave it a little squeeze. He knew Mark would be touched to know how important he was to Got6 and that he was cherished by them. He wanted Mark to feel that he belonged there, with them.

“You’re one of the best motivational speakers I’ve ever met.” Mark was mesmerized by the younger’s tenacity. It surely boosted his confidence. Mark felt that it was about time he channelled his energy towards something productive. Losses could also be opportunities to move on, to gain something else. And he liked the idea of being adopted by Got6, but his friends weren’t the only ones who made him feel hopeful and somewhat sheltered. Suddenly his stepfather’s enigmatic words before came to his mind. ‘ _You started the car once, it's your choice what to do next. You decide to drive it backwards, forward, or you can simple be stuck in the same place. You control the vehicle, not the other way around. Keep that in mind. Just know I’ll be there right by your side.’_ The teenager didn’t feel so alone now. The car lesson he learned from Mr. Lim, was also a lesson for life.

“You should’ve seen me explain to my parents the other day how music meant more to me than fencing. I blew their minds away.” The Hongkonger winked at him playfully and continued in a cheerful tone. “What do you say we go back to that stupid room, fill out that damn form, sneak out of this building with the others and enjoy our last day of freedom?” Jackson suggested, amicably. Mark was thankful for his enthusiasm and good vibes.

“You’re a great human being, Jack. I really don’t deserve you. I should’ve treated you better, I know I should. I can only hope that you find someone who really appreciates and respects you. I want you to know that I made many mistakes since I arrived in South Korea, but I’ll never regret getting in that throuple relationship with you and Jin. If it wasn’t for rule 77, I’d never have a taste of what rule 70 could have been like with you. It felt amazing being loved by you, and I swear, I loved you too. I never lied about that. But I was an asshole, and fucked it all up, even though you loved me like no one did.” Mark gave him an apologetic smile.

“I still do.” He whispered to the American. His husky tone sounded even deeper. Mark eyed him knowingly.

“Sseunie, can you give us a minute?” A voice interrupted that lovely moment and the American immediately removed his hands from the Hongkonger’s. He swallowed when he saw Jinyoung standing there before them. His expression unreadable. The Hongkonger didn’t move from his seat. So the Korean continued. “Please, don’t make me beg.” None of the foreigners at the table expected the young Lim to sound so humble. Jinyoung didn’t make a scene nor raised his voice. He was being unexpectedly polite and collected.

“Just make sure he eats something.” Jackson sighed in frustration as he glanced at the Korean. Mark watched silently as he stood up, gave him one sympathetic smile and walked away from them. Jinyoung slowly took Jackson’s seat and stared back at Mark. When the latter met his magnetic eyes, he swallowed. He had so much to tell him, but he didn’t know where to start. Therefore, he started babbling nervously.

“I know I should’ve called and it wasn’t right to keep you in the dark and make you worry. I asked your father not to tell anyone where I was and I know you must’ve hated me for it. And about Eric, that’s not what you’re thinking-”

“Eat.” The simple word cut him off.

“What?!” the American eyed the other with incredulity.

“I’d like to see you drink your milkshake.”

“Jinyoung I don’t-”

“Wanna drink it?! Why?”

“I- I just can’t seem to keep anything down lately. I’m not really hungry anyways.”

“Can you please try?” The Korean’s tone seemed softer, but foreign.

Mark considered Jinyoung's request one more time and downed the milkshake in front of him.

"Satisfied?" He asked, a bit unsure.

"No. But now I can at least tell Jackson that you put some sugar inside your body. That might satisfy him." Jinyoung said casually, oblivious to the fact that milkshake was the only source of nutrients Mark had ingested in a while.

"You are mad, right? I know I should have stepped out of that car and talked to you, but I was scared." The older struggled to explain himself. He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell him that jumping out of that car and throwing his arms around him would mean that he had given Jinyoung all the control he still had left in him. He would completely lose himself in their private madness, regardless of what others might think and that was dangerous.

"Afraid of what, Mark? That Nam might not like the fact that you stopped by your ex's house?" The Korean asked coldly. He promised himself that he wouldn't bring up the idol, but he couldn't help himself. He was dying to know what had been going on between the two all this time they spent together under the same roof. He was afraid that Mark used their break to reminisce the past with his first love. He had no idea that Dorine simply dumped Mark in Eric’s lap and disappeared. JYP conveniently only told him half of the story, of course.

"My ex? You're not my fucking ex, Jin." Mark gasped. "I only asked for a break. We're not breaking up! As a matter of fact, we should just get back together already!" he said desperately, as a sharp pain suddenly assaulted his stomach. He would have the madness instead of nothing. He watched Jinyoung's lips part, his brows crease. The Korean's resolve almost flew out of the window when the words left the American's mouth.

"That's not gonna happen." Jinyoung's voice almost cracked. "At least not now. You know this is not the right time. We're not simply high schoolers anymore. We are colleagues, we have a contract and a lot of work to do. Dating is not ideal right now. It's against the company's policies." The Korean looked away, though his heartbeats quickened.

"Jinyoung, there's nothing going on between Eric and I. You know I'm yours and no one else's. And you're mine too, right?" Mark insisted, thinking that maybe the Korean just needed some reassurance, some proof that he still was the only one for him. He knew the younger's jealousy was usually hard to appease. So he leaned in and put a hand on the back of his neck tentatively. Jinyoung's eyes widened when the other leaned in for a kiss. But before the other's lips could touch his, he pushed him away gently and stood up abruptly.

"What are you doing? We're in public!" The Korean exclaimed in shock. "Have you forgotten where we are? Have you forgotten how we got here? Recklessness put us here. This madness thing assumed control of our lives. But not anymore, okay? It's been one shitstorm after the other since I admitted my feelings for you. I need to find balance now, and so do you. There's a Jinyoung you've never met, Mark. The Jinyoung that existed before his parents' divorce, before his mother's cancer. A Jinyoung that my best friend, my parents, my brother, and the members of Got6 used to be proud of. That guy is making a comeback. I'm resurrecting the real me, the old me. And the Lim Jinyoung who never met you, has a different mindset, different priorities. You were probably right when you asked for this break. Now I'm asking for an end. I'm sure you're mature enough to comprehend that." The Korean said in a serious tone as he put both his hands inside his pockets.

"Oh, God. Can we not do this now? Please? I know this may sound pathetic, but I really need you to listen to me now, Nyoungie. I know it will be hard to find time for us, but we can work things out. The sacrifice is worth it, right? Eric doesn't matter. No one can come between us. Not even JYP." Mark's voice pleaded, his eyes begging. The nickname sounded like a bittersweet lullaby in Jinyoung's ears. His heart was weeping, he could feel the waves crashing within its veins. He welcomed it and remained still as a rock as he let those tears wash over him. Jinyoung was aware that he needed to be more assertive with the older. He couldn't give JYP more tools to interfere in their lives, and he knew that if he agreed to resume their relationship, his grandfather would use it against them. The CEO had mastered the art of manipulation decades before he even started to figure it out how easily people could be influenced. 

"I don't mind if you go back to Nam. I have nothing to do with your love life anymore. Let's be responsible professionals and work hard for our debut. Grandfather wants results, and we must abide to his rules for now. I am not fucking this up too, Mark. We are not fucking up this time." Jinyoung said emotionlessly. Mark couldn't tell if he was acting now. Something in him seemed different, unusually contained. Was that a sign of the old Jinyoung taking over?

"Wait, Jinyoung. I know you love me and you certainly know how much I love you, despite everything that happened. I get it, you're upset, but I promise you I'll make it up to you. Let's stop this bullshit and get back together, okay?" Mark smiled anxiously. The Korean didn't smile back. The American could feel his heart shattering as he stared at the younger's glassy eyes. He felt nauseous. That familiar hunger heartlessly consuming him. Another loss, so soon. So cruelly orchestrated by fate. A mom and a lover, all at once. Just like Raymond and Joey left before, all at once. People around him seemed like sand running out of an hourglass. Mark himself felt like he was coming undone, as if he was being reduced to a pile of dust. He tried to hold on Mr. Lim's positive words, Jackson's uplifting speech. He just needed Jinyoung to tell him that they were fine. 

"You're asking for too much." Jinyoung said seriously. An unknown lack of disturbance etched in his features. The American was speechless. And before Jinyoung walked away from him, he didn't fail to remind him of their main priority. "Go back to the meeting room. Fill out the form you were supposed to fill. Do not be late for your appointments. Work hard, hyung."

When Jinyoung disappeared from his sight, Mark eyed the entrance of a restroom next to the canteen. He dashed there, and unable to digest his lover's words, he bend over a toilet and threw up all the milkshake he had drunk minutes earlier. He felt like fainting, so he just crouched on the floor, leaned on the nearest wall, closed his eyes and tried to regain his breath. 

His eyes opened again when he felt another presence in the restroom. He wondered if he was hallucinating. He assumed that the booze from the night before was still in his system. If that was a dream, he didn't want to wake up yet. However, as soon as the person started to speak, time stood still. The sand that uncontrollably escaped from the hourglass of his life seemed to have been abruptly turned upside down, refilled. The ache in his stomach lessened a bit when his eyes focused on the figure a few feet away from him. The words that echoed in his ears, nourished his very soul.

"I thought about the 100 ways I could leave you. I convinced myself that nothing you said could make me stay by your side. But it's not what you said, it's what you didn't say that made me turn around. I can see that you clearly need me now. Get up, babe. It's time to bring some stability to this madness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's the one Mark needs?XD


	45. Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden." - Unknown

Mark didn't realize he had fainted in that restroom till he woke up in an unfamiliar room he had never been before. It was tiny and simple, with only one window and without much furniture. He was in a bunk bed and there was an IV drip in his arm. He felt the urge to remove the needle from his vein but he was too tired to do it. He didn’t want to be there alone. He remembered that when Jinyoung found him in the restroom of the canteen, he said he would be by his side. Then he wondered if he was dreaming. Why the Korean wasn't with him now? He could hear voices coming from outside the door. He recognized the three of them, they belonged to his friends of Got7.

In the living room of their new ‘home’ Got3 discussed details of the latest events which took place in the building of JYP Entertainment after Mark suddenly passed out in one of its restrooms.

"So, Jaebeom hyung and Jinyoung hyung will drop out of school and they are not staying with us in this dorm?” Yugyeom's voice seemed a bit concerned.

"That seems to be the case. We will have to manage without them for a while. Their debts have just increased now. They will have to dedicate their time exclusively to the company.” The Thai boy sighed. “You remember what their grandpa's assistant said, right? No special favors. Yet, that's exactly what we asked for. Jinyoung called JYP straightaway when Mark fainted. It was the only way a doctor could have access to the dorm. The big boss had to allow it. The old man is probably worried about outsiders roaming around the precarious state of this place and spreading rumors about how JYPE's trainees are treated. But, despite all that, the doctor was brought here, and now JJP has to pay the price." Bambam commented without much energy while sitting on the floor and eating a tangerine.

"Well, something had to be done. Mark wasn't waking up. Jinyoung and JB made the right decision. Let's be honest guys, as soon as Mark entered that meeting room earlier, anyone could tell that he was not well. We should've said, or done something. But we didn't. Jaebeom was unnecessarily rude, and we let him roast Mark, because we thought that he deserved it." Youngjae commented from the couch. His tone was clearly sad. He felt bad for Mark, and for the group’s current situation. When he joined JYPE he knew his life would change drastically, but he hated the fact that he had to be apart from JB now that they were back together. He knew what was at stake, sacrifices had to be made in order to be ready for the debut J.Y. Park was planning for them. However, the news about his boyfriend leaving Kirin High really bothered him.

"Well, now we know the whole story and we know Mark is the victim here. We'll be more careful with him. I tell you that, I don't wanna see Mark looking like a corpse ever again." Bambam stressed. 

"I swear, when Jinyoung hyung ran out of that restroom and started screaming for help with Mark hyung in his arms I thought somebody had died or something. Our eldest hyung gave us a big scare. Thank God he's well. I bet that Jinyoung would have lost the little amount of sanity he still has in him if Mark wasn’t seen by a doctor." Yugyeom still sounded a bit shaken as he leaned on the couch Youngjae was sitting.

"Who would have guessed that Dorine Lim Tuan was a headcase? I mean, she counsel kids, she's married to principal of Kirin High! I often found myself in her room whenever I missed home. She seemed reliable, I liked the woman. Mark kept complaining about her, but we thought he was just being a teenager. We all kinda hate our parents at some point and talk shit about them. Mark should've been more incisive and warned us about her poor parenting skills. I mean, when he realized he was left alone in that hotel room, he should have called us and explained what was going on instead of going with Nam." Bambam commented bitterly. He was not mad at Mark. He was mad at himself. Deep down he knew he didn't give Mark the impression that he could rely on him. He was quick to judge the American when Jackson was supposedly arrested. The Thai boy knew he would have to make amends soon.

"It's his mom, Bam. What did you expect? I mean, if my mother dropped me in a random hotel room and took off to God Knows where, I would be freaking out too, but at the same time I would be embarrassed to admit to other people that I meant so little to her." Yugyeom declared, trying to put himself in the older's shoes.

"So he decides to starve himself? You heard the principal. Eric met him at Kirin High this morning and told him that Mark has been like that for a while. I mean, I heard he pukes and keeps saying he's not hungry. What the fuck is that? Is he bulimic? Anorexic, or what? That kind of shit happens with chicks all the time, right? And he's not a chick!" Bambam's naivety bothered Youngjae.

"Don't be stupid. It happens with anyone. But that might not be his case, only a doctor will be able to tell. Mark is probably going through an emotional turmoil right now. That's why we need to stand by him. Jaebeom and Jinyoung will be busier than us now, but they expect us to properly look after him. We can take turns, make sure he's not going to the bathroom after he eats, I don't know. We'll watch him, be there for him and he'll get better." Youngjae declared with determination. The maknaes nodded to him, but Bambam felt the need to add another alternative.

"If we're unable to help him, we'd better get him a therapist. He won't be able to attend practice in his state. JYP won't be happy about that. Jinyoung and Jaebeom had to promise him that they'd be fit to debut in six months just to get a doctor here. Imagine when the old man realizes that Mark needs weekly sessions of therapy? I wonder if we'll have anything to offer...But yeah, if it means to help hyung, we'll do it." Bambam nodded to himself confidently. The others realized it was one of the rarest times they heard the Thai boy call the American 'hyung'. 

"By the way, Eric keeps calling his cellphone. Do we answer or not?" Yugyeom asked a bit uncertain as he eyed Mark’s phone vibrating on the center table.

"Fuck Eric! He should have looked after Mark better. He knows him more than we do. He's his ex for Christ sake! I say we ignore the guy. We don't need him, neither does Mark. I mean, our American hyung is our responsibility now." Bambam stated, and sighed." Just hope he forgive us for being assholes." 

Youngjae and Yugyeom looked amused. Bambam would never ignore a celebrity if he had the chance to be around one. The pair was touched to see the Thai boy being so overprotective towards Mark now.

"I'm sure he'll accept our apologies, kids. Sseunie assured me that Mark hyung is not mad at us. As soon as he wakes up, Jack will tell us if we can go in there and apologize, okay?" Youngjae reassured the youngsters.

Mark heard everything that was being said. He was impressed by the fact that his friends knew so much in such a short amount of time. He remembered that Jackson promised him to explain to them why he kept silence about his problems, and then sighed. His chest tightened a bit when he heard them talking about Dorine, but he knew it wouldn’t make any difference, nor sense to defend her now. He was relieved that at least they had his back, but he didn’t want to worry them. He wondered where Jackson and the twins were. He got curious about that story of an early debut. Did the twins make another bargain with their grandfather? That's why they were not in that dorm? What about Jackson? Where was he? The American had to find out.

When Mark sat up on the bed, he immediately noticed the other bed above him shake a bit. Soon he observed someone quickly jump from it.

"Are you awake? How are you feeling?" The Hongkonger asked softly as he approached the edge of the American's bed and eyed his IV drip cautiously.

"Despite the fact that there's a needle stuck in my arm, I'm good, I guess." Mark whispered, relieved to see him there. "You?"

"Still living the dream." Jackson said playfully. "JJ Project might debut before us, but we'll get there. You can write that down." He grinned, optimistic as always.

"I'm sorry for worrying everyone." Mark gave him an apologetic smile, the younger just shook his head, and the American knew that he had no reason to apologize. "What happened to JB and Jin?"

"As you can see, sweetheart, we are in one of the marvelous trainee dorms of JYP Entertainment. The bugs inside this humble place will be the very witnesses of our hard work." Jackson made a face as he pointed to several mosquitoes that kept coming inside the room through the open window. He snickered and continued. "Five of us will live here from now on. Except for JB and Jin, they will have to receive extra training. They have a promise to keep. Let's just say that they owe a bit more to their grandfather now."

"An earlier debut. Because of me." Mark said sadly, letting the other know he had been awake for a while and that he overheard the others outside. Jackson sighed.

"They will be fine. It was decided that they’ll have private classes in the company instead of going to school, you know, to save time for training. They are not average rookies, Mark. JYPE knows that. Singing for them is not a talent that needs to be developed. They were born with it. They are together, they’ll manage it.” Jackson gave him a reassuring look.

“That’s so unfair. I gotta see them, talk to them. This deal is ludicrous and-”

“Do not dismiss their efforts. They want you to be fine, Mark. Jinyoung was the one who called JYP when you passed out, but it was JB who proposed the early debut to his grandfather. That’s why the doctor came. JYP even allowed you to take a paid sick leave. That means you can go to a hospital and let the doctors run some tests, and carry out further examination-"

"I don't wanna go." The American said abruptly.

"Your stepfather was here a couple of hours ago. He was extremely worried, Mark. Eric looked for him at Kirin High. Your ex said you had disappeared when he woke up this morning. He also said you were not well. That's when Mr. Lim called JYP and asked about you. I mean, the old man knows everything, right? By the way, you should have seen what went down when the principal got here and heard you had fainted. Do you know what he said to the CEO of this company? _'If you're not going to look after my kids, you shouldn't have bothered to take them from me in the first place. If you don’t do your job right, I’ll go to the papers._ ' I have never seen the man so incensed. But a doctor had already arrived, and Mr. Lim was asked to leave. Security was called. It was not pretty. But your stepdad said he would come back to take you to a hospital."

"So, he keeps saying I'm his kid. I wonder if he'll still call me that after the divorce." Mark huffed a laugh. "Shit, since he's coming I cannot refuse to go, right?" The American bit his lip anxiously.

"No, you can't. The doctor who left after sticking this needle in you said you had signs of dehydration and malnutrition." Jackson's expression darkened a bit. "You barely started your life as a JYPE trainee and you're already compromising your health."

"I'll go to the hospital with Taek-geun. I'll get stronger again, I promise. I won’t give you guys more reasons to make stupid deals. Those two might have to debut in six months, but we’ll be right after them." Mark assured the other. He hated hospitals, but he hated even more to see that anguished expression in the Hongkonger's face.

"Well said.” Jackson ruffled his hair and continued. “I'd come with you to the hospital. But I have class in an hour. We were supposed to start training tomorrow, but I really cannot afford to delay the inevitable. Foreigners gotta work twice as hard to get some respect here. As soon as your health improves, Bambam, you and I will show these bastards what the team AmeriThaiKong is made of." Jackson winked at the American playfully. His Squirtle smile was back and Mark felt like taking him into his arms and keeping him there forever. Just for being so perfect. "Will you be okay with only Taek-geun driving you to the hospital? I can still accompany you if -" The Hongkonger offered, but the older cut him off.

"I will be fine, Jack. Thanks, for everything." he said, as he smiled weakly and put a hand on his knee. "You look tired. Lay down with me for a bit. You still have time, right?" Mark asked casually, no trace of malice in his voice, but the younger frowned at his request. The reason why he wouldn’t accompany the American to the hospital was Jinyoung. The young Lim had said that he and his father would take Mark. So Jackson refrained from joining them. He would rather avoid any unnecessary interaction. Now he wondered what would happen if he did what Mark asked of him and Jinyoung walked in that room. Probably the third world war.

"Sweetheart." The Hongkonger shook his head at him. "I don't think that's a good idea. You're not well and-"

"I'm not asking you to fuck me, okay? Can you just lay down with me, please? I feel cold." Mark said abruptly and gave him a needy look. Jackson looked shocked for a minute. Then puzzled. How could he feel cold if it was not even winter and the weather was quite warm outside? He touched Mark’s forehead and discarded the possibility of a fever. Then he stared at the older. He seemed to consider his options. His expression turned serious and then it softened a bit. 

"I guess I can stay a bit, just till your stepdad arrives." He said finally, as he slowly crawled on the tiny bed and laid behind the older in order not to get in the way of his IV drip. Mark simply covered them both with the sheets and brought Jackson's arms to hold his upper body.

"You're always warm. I like that." The American said randomly. The younger chuckled, throwing all his fears away. As soon as Mark fell asleep again he planned to go back to the bed above them. Jinyoung would never know.

"Sleep, Markiepoo. I won't abandon you. I'll be here when you wake up." Jackson reassured him and rubbed his nose against the back of the American's neck, caressing the hair there. He felt his body relax when their fingertips met. When there was nothing else separating their bodies, no empty space them, Jackson felt that he could find all the motivation he needed in those arms. Got7 wasn't having one of their best weeks, and it was hard to keep himself positive, but that moment surely made his day. It had been a while since he was that close to the American. He loved the texture of his hair, the familiar softness of his velvety skin, his unforgettable fragrance, the slow movements of his chest every time he inhaled and exhaled. He bathed in the heat emanating from his pores. He was grateful for that little gift from heavens. Jackson never thought he would be able to hide Mark in his embrace again. He loved to think that only for a few minutes, he belonged to this different universe in which he could reach Mark completely and no one could take that happiness from him. It didn't take long for the American to get comfortable in his arms. The pair fell asleep just like that, practically snuggling.

Their friends eventually went to check up on them, but the trio quietly left the room as soon as they saw the two asleep in the bed in an intimate embrace.

"Are they back together or something?" A shocked Yugyeom whispered to the other two as they tiptoed back to the tiny living room.

"Come on, they were just sleeping. Sseunie is a very affectionate person. He's just comforting Mark." Youngjae replied, but he himself was not convinced of what he said.

"He loves Mark. Cuddling with him is far from being a friendly gesture." A clever Bambam reminded them. And as soon as he did, Jaebeom and Jinyoung walked into the dorm. The three teenagers stared surprised at their hyungs.

"Father is outside in the car. We're taking Mark to the hospital. Is he awake? JB asked, as he walked to Youngjae and ran a hand through his hair. "Why do you look so startled, Samchon?" JB whispered to him as he briefly kissed his forehead and caressed the furrows in his brows.

"He's still asleep." Youngjae whispered back, overwhelmed by his boyfriend's gesture. He wondered if he would be able to keep his hands to himself for too long. He knew that if the others weren't there, JB would have given him a proper kiss. Youngjae wished he would just do it. Now that they wouldn't have much time alone, each second together was precious.

"I'll wake him." A determined Jinyoung said and marched to the direction of the bedroom door, but Yugyeom stopped him.

"I'll do it, hyung. You should just wait in the car with your dad." The maknae suggested with an awkward smile on his face. The young Lim raised an eyebrow at him and swiftly eyed a tense Bambam and an uncomfortable Youngjae across the room. He knew something was off.

"Don't be ridiculous. Let me pass." Jinyoung commanded, sternly. Yugyeom seemed unable to decide what to do. He eyed Bambam and Youngjae with alarm. He was silently asking their help to keep Jinyoung from walking on the Markson couple.

"Is there something you guys are not telling us?" A puzzled Jaebeom asked the strangely silent youngsters. 

"He won't like what he's about to see." Bambam just said at once. Youngjae and Yugyeom had eyes like saucers. As soon as Jinyoung heard those haunting words and notice their reaction, he pushed the maknae away and opened the door. It took him a minute or two to understand what the Thai boy had said. Jinyoung cleared his throat once, then twice, but the two bodies curled up on the bed didn't move. So he entered the room and before Jaebeom followed him inside, he closed the door behind him and quickly locked it.

His eyes roamed over the pair entangled on the bed, burning holes on the arms and legs entwined together. He counted to ten, then he counted to 100. He felt madness poke at him. He wanted to tear them apart. He wanted to trash that room and let them feel his fury. Still, he didn't move. It was Jaebeom's insistent knocks on the door, that made Jackson and Mark abruptly open their eyes. They were met with the Korean's indifferent stare.

"Good afternoon." Jinyoung said icily. And a disconcerted Jackson quickly disentangled himself from the American and jumped out of the bed. The Korean followed each movement of his. Jackson eyed him curiously. Mark was too stunned to say anything. He was glad to finally see him, but he knew that the Korean could easily misunderstand what he saw.

"How long you've been there?" The Hongkonger asked as he adjusted his clothes and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"Long enough." He gave him a fake smile. "Shouldn't you be practicing or something?" Jinyoung asked shortly. Someone outside the door asked if everything was all right in there and Jackson shouted back an uncertain 'yes', just to assure Got4 that thankfully, everyone was still alive.

"Will you be all right, Markie?" The Hongkonger asked softly as he turned to look at the American on the bed. Before the latter could answer, Jinyoung chimed in.

"Why wouldn't he be fine? Stop looking at him like that. You're deluding yourself if you think there's still room for you in this relationship." Jinyoung spat, finally showing a bit of emotion a harsh one. Jackson shook his head in frustration. He wasn't feeling much confrontational at the moment. He would not give in to his provocations, neither would he fool himself into thinking that Mark would want him around now that the Korean showed up.

"I should get going. See you later, Markie." The Hongkonger said, ignoring the Korean’s words. He sighed one more time and went to the door, but Mark's voice made him turn around. The older surely wasn’t sure if he wanted to be alone with Jinyoung right now.

"Jack doesn't have to go. Why are you lying to him? What relationship are you talking about exactly?I thought you ended things between us this morning. You said you didn't have anything to do with my love life anymore. You even claimed that you didn't care if I got back with Eric." The American said suddenly as he regarded the Korean. His hurried sentences sounded like accusations. Jinyoung's expression changed when he met Mark's eyes. The older was right. He had said all those things, but he thought he was saying them for their own sake. To protect themselves. Yet, now that he was aware of Mark's fragile state, he had no intention of leaving his side. His voice was sweeter than honey when he spoke to him.

"That was before, okay? You are not well and you need me around. I must make sure you're gonna be okay. I didn't know what went down between you and Dorine. How could I guess? I thought you and Eric...I'm sorry, babe. Look, we can talk about this later. We need to get you to a hospital." Jinyoung looked and sounded guilty. He went to the American and carefully helped him to get out of the bed. Jackson just stared at them, unable to decide if he should stay or leave.

"You don't have to come along." Mark said to the Korean, as Jinyoung's magnetic eyes bored into him, making him weak.

"Well, I am accompanying you. You want it or not." The Korean said softly as he gently pushed the IV drip bag stand a bit a way in order to let Mark walk with more freedom.

"Your dad can take me there. I don't want your pity."

"I don't pity you. I love you." Jinyoung said simply.

"Is that so? I thought loving me wasn't enough this morning. What did you think that happened between Eric and me? You thought that we had ran away together? You thought I purposely cheated on you?" Mark took a wobbly step forward, still unsure about the Korean’s attitude.

"Baby, I don't wanna fight, okay? I know nothing happened between you and your ex, all right? Let's just go." Jinyoung insisted as he brought an arm to his waist in order to encourage him to leave the room.

"How the fuck do you know that?" Mark sounded annoyed now.

"Well, I trust you." The Korean retorted. 

"Bullshit!"

"Okay! Nam came to the company. I saw him at the reception. He wanted to see you and I told him he couldn't because you were asleep. I asked him why he was pursuing you even though you're taken. Then told me that there was nothing going on between you two and that he only saw you as a good friend." Jinyoung said in a hurry, hoping that information would be enough to get the American out of the dorm. 

"So that means you trust him better than me." Mark eyed him in disbelief. The younger exhaled.

"That means I didn't buy a single word he said. That means he's a terrible liar, and surely you both did something you shouldn't have. He clearly looked guilty. But whatever happened between you two, it happened during our break, so yeah, it's all is forgiven." Jinyoung gave him a defeated look and glanced at the dejected Hongkonger next to the door. He almost asked his old friend to help him get Mark out of there, but he dismissed that idea. He obviously missed having Jackson always there to support him. He was sorry for the way he talked to him, he was sorry for everything. Jinyoung knew Jackson didn't deserve his anger. It was the other way around. But he was sad and worried. Whenever he didn't know how to deal with extreme situations he would get crude and aggressive. Jackson knew that side of him. They had called a truce, but having a heart to heart with his old friend was still something that had to be done soon. He couldn’t leave things between them as they were. A reconciliation was on the top of his to-do list right after he made sure Mark was all right.

"We slept together. I got a bit drunk yesterday night and I pounced on him in the middle of his kitchen. I guess one thing led to the other and we ended up in bed. Is that forgiven too?" Mark's familiar bluntness caught the two out of guard. The American still didn't remember what happened after he flirted with his ex on the floor of his kitchen, but he needed to test the Korean's power of forgiveness. He needed to know how the latest events had impacted him, how changed was he. Mark was dumped by Eric Nam five months ago, after he told the idol about what he thought that had happened at Yugyeom's party. The American was eager to know what the Korean would do, now that they were in a similar situation.

**__ **

"Do you love him?" Jinyoung's magnetic eyes shone with anticipation and some other emotion the older could not grasp. He didn’t make any exaggerated movements, nor lashed out. Yet, the American still waited for his ruthless reproach. He could foresee Jinyoung’s temper getting the better of him. He knew that at some point he would start calling him names, and that sooner or later, he would assume that he was right about Mark when he claimed once that the older was just _seeking to ‘fuck a lot of guys to forget dear Eric.’_

"No." Mark replied, no hesitation in his voice. He was almost sure that if Jinyoung had meant what the said in the restroom earlier that morning, now he was probably reconsidering it.

"Then it doesn't matter." Jinyoung sounded broken and unexpectedly calm. None of the foreigners in that room could believe their own ears.

"Wait! Nam fucked you while you were drunk?" Jackson asked in an alarming tone as he fixed his eyes on Mark, who just looked away embarrassedly. The older could not answer that question, because he himself simply didn’t know the answer. Then the Hongkonger turned to the Korean with fire in his eyes. "What the hell, Jinyoung! Did you just say it doesn't matter? Really?! Your boyfriend just revealed to you that he was practically molested by an older guy last night and that's fine with you?!"

"We've been with older and younger guys before. We drank and we did drugs while we were at it. Don't be a hypocrite. You're just jealous because it was Nam." Jinyoung said emotionlessly. Jackson was agape, and so was Mark.

"Have you been with anyone? Did you cheat on me during our break?" Mark was extremely confused now. He didn't understand the Korean's attitude. Therefore, he quickly concluded that Jinyoung didn't care about his infidelity because, perhaps, he had also slept with someone else. However, that was not the case.

"With so much shit going on, do you think I would have time to fuck around? Do you remember I was the one who got my grandfather everything he always wanted? I fucked my family over! I was a pain in the ass to my dad during and after the divorce! And he wasn't even to blame for that. But I am to blame now, for every single disgrace that happens. Do you know how it feels like to be the reason of everyone's problem? Do you remember I don't have Jack anymore to listen to my misfortunes? Do you know how bad I feel now that I realize it hurts like hell to see my best friend so distant? I took you from Seunie without realizing how painful it would be to have him taken away from me too! Then you abandoned me! I was going mad when you disappeared, Mark! You've been missing for almost a week and I was not sure if I'd find you alive! You did to us exactly what your mother did to you! Then you show up out of nowhere looking like death! Then you faint on me and refuses to wake up!" He yelled in despair, as a tear escaped from his eyes. He glanced at a speechless Jackson across the room just to make sure he was still there, but his gaze travelled back to Mark. "Are you for real now? Do you think I'd cheat on you? I fucking love you and that's why I am so miserable. I lost a mother this year, I can’t even bring myself to visit her grave yet, and I don't have enough excuses to skip another funeral so soon. You do know what loss, or the fear of it can do to a person. Stop being selfish and try to see other people's tragedy too. You're not the only one! I have a heart as well Mark, and it would stop beating if you dared to die on me today. I need you alive and that will suffice for now. You can be with whoever the hell you want, you can break up with me and go back to freakin' America... But you cannot die, you hear me? You wanted to get an emotional reaction from me, right?! There you have it. Now would it be too much to ask of you to be kindly merciful and fucking move your ass so I can take you to the hospital?"

Jinyoung was sobbing. He laid bare his soul in front of the pair of foreigners in the room, without reservations, without fear, without attacking his opponents. He exposed his weaknesses, not to have the last word, he just sought to be understood. The American was petrified. He didn’t expect the younger to come undone like that. A heavy silence fell. Then after a couple of seconds, a husky voice joined the sound of Jinyoung's weeping.

"Just for the record, man…You haven't lost me. I just didn't realize you wanted me around. I thought there was no room for me in your life, now that you have Mark. I was mad. I wish I were madder. But what you did today reminded me of the old Jinyoungie, my best pal, the mother of our group. The guy who sacrifices himself for his friends, for love. Then suddenly I realized you didn't just reminded me of him. You are him." The Hongkonger took a deep breath and continued. "And you know what? I fucking love this guy and I'm glad he's back. I missed you, Park Gae." Jackson said those words with utmost honesty. The Korean whispered an almost inaudible “Wang Gae”. Jinyoung and him shared a meaningful look just before they ran to each other's arms. They hugged, kissed and cried a bit more. Jackson beckoned Mark to join them, and as soon as the American wrapped his arms around the pair, the cycle was complete. The trio felt reinvigorated.

They only let go of each other when Mr. Lim in person knocked on their door, reminded the teenagers of Mark's condition and asked them to come out. Under the curious looks of their friends, both Jinyoung and Jackson got into the principal's car and accompanied Mark to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! How are you lovely people?   
> How anxious are you guys for the boys' comeback?^^  
> Who's enjoying EveryDATE GOT7?  
> Which date was the best in your opinion?


	46. Hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Maybe we tried to leave as much memories of ourselves with each other because we knew one day we wouldn't be together any more.”  
> ― Makoto Shinkai

3 weeks after Mark's visit to the hospital, he was diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome. Doctors could not point out the cause of the syndrome, however, the teenager was told that the vomiting episodes could be triggered by emotional stress, excitement, anxiety or panic attacks. A gastroenterologist prescribed him some medication that could lessen some of its symptoms and fortunately, the teenager wasn’t feeling so sick as before. Mr. Lim promised to check up on Mark every day at Kirin High. Though they weren’t living in the same house anymore, Taek-geun still had a chance to see him at school. He’d make some time in the morning to call the teenager to the principal’s room and find out how he was doing. Sometimes he’d ask if the boy needed any money, or if he was taking his meds. He was also curious about his life in the agency and at the dorm of JYPE, but most of the time, he just wanted to make sure his stepson was indeed recovering from his last CVS episode. The American promised his stepfather and his friends that he would do his best to take care of himself and not worry them again, but that wasn't enough to convince his comrades. Got4 constantly kept an eye on the oldest member of the group. Even though sometimes they didn't have the same classes at the agency, whenever they returned to the dorm, they would look after him, especially Jackson, who was sharing a bedroom with the American. Being a Kirin High school student and a JYPE trainee was a heavy task to accomplish, but Got5 was already getting used to the extreme busy schedules they had to finish every single day. JJP was rarely seen by his friends now that they were having private classes after dropping out of Kirin High and their trainee lessons would usually happen till late at night. The Lim twins were also going through an unbelievable amount of pressure. Besides the intense preparation for exams, that would be handed by their private teachers, they also had to handle the pressure of having to be ready to debut in six months. Their grandfather knew that such a mission was not something an average kid could deal with, but he was sure that his grandsons would be successful. Unlike the twins, Got5 had more chances to interact with each other through the day. Youngjae was the only one taking piano advanced lessons, but whenever he was having voice training, Yugyeom was also there with other trainees. The maknae was doing well in his dance lessons, and he already received praises from his instructors. The foreigner trio, Bambam, Mark and Jackson were having Korean, etiquette and rapping lessons together, but they would meet the other two during music production classes and physical exercise lessons. Kirin High’s cafeteria was still their best spot to meet up more comfortably.

Mark hadn't seen his stepbrothers in almost a month. He missed them both, but he was especially dying to see Jinyoung. They were back together, but at the same time, they weren't. After all, they were busier than ever now. The last message he had gotten from the Korean, said that both him and Jaebeom wouldn't be allowed to use cell phones for a while, but he would find a way to contact him sooner or later. Mark was trying hard to focus on his training, but the distance from his lover was really taking a toll on him. He would be in worse shape if it wasn’t for the Hongkonger. The latter, energetic as always, lighted up his days. He was constantly cheering him up, making jokes, and doing his best to keep Mark from harbouring bad thoughts. The older obviously needed someone like that in his life, since Dorine was still nowhere to be seen and deep down, the teenager couldn’t help but worry, and wish that she would come back.

It was a Thursday evening when he was returning from a drugstore located on the corner of the JYPE dorm building. It had been a tough day at school, and practice at the company was exhausting. His back didn’t hurt anymore, but the stress was already making him feel nauseous again. He had threw up a few times that day, but not as often as before. His doctor said that those episodes could last for a month before he was able to feel comfortable again. He had just finished buying his meds and he was already returning to the dorm he shared with Got4 when an unexpected encounter took place.

He could already feel nauseated when he got into the elevator that would take him to his dorm. Being a teenager, whose father and brother had died, being a son with an absent mother, being a high schooler in a foreign country, and also a JYPE trainee certainly influenced in the treatment of his syndrome. There were already enough triggers around him that could cause his CVS episodes. A certain doctor had suggested him to look for a therapist that could help him deal with the triggers, but Mark didn’t think he needed one, or had time to see one. He just hoped that the meds would fix his dreadful state before he started puking all over again. When a hand stopped the elevator doors from closing, he was ready to tell whoever was about to join him in that little space that he would possibly puke all over the elevator.

"I gotta get back to my dorm. Just get inside already, coz I won't be able to contain myself for too long-"

"Geez, bunny. You still sound as desperate as ever. Always ordering people to get inside, unable to contain your urges." A playful Jaebeom grinned at him as soon as he got into the elevator and its doors closed. He was wearing a black hoodie and he had his back turned to the camera of the elevator. He quickly pushed the stop button and the elevator came to a stop. For a long couple of seconds a wide-eyed Mark just watched him in awe. He was too stunned to see the Korean there so close to him, speaking to him. Then he blushed when he figured out the pun intended in his dongsaeng’s comment.

"You never really tried to get inside anyways. You had lots of opportunities though." Mark groaned. He was not in condition to make jokes, but he couldn't miss that one. He would've grinned back to the younger if he wasn't so nauseated. An alarmed Jaebeom instantly noticed his sudden grimace of pain. The serious tone in his voice made the American feel almost guilty. He liked the playful JB better.

"Oh damn it! Is it an CVS attack?" The Korean asked worriedly, as he put a hand on the American's shoulder. The latter closed his eyes and nodded to him. The Korean pushed another button of the elevator that was supposed to make it move again, but it didn't. Jaebeom then helped Mark to sit down on the floor and asked the older to take a deep breath.

"Seriously, I don't need breathing exercises. I need a fucking toilet. Just open these doors and take me to the dorm." Mark protested, without opening his eyes. He gagged, but nothing came out of his throat. He had his medicine on a bag he had brought from the drugstore, but it wouldn't make much of a difference taking the pills now, if he would simply throw them up as soon as he tried to swallow them.

"Shit! This building is old, the elevator seems to be just as old. No alarm went off after I pushed the damn button. I can't get the doors open." The Korean explained in an anguished voice. Mark opened his eyes a little and just shook his head sympathetically.

"Yeah, I know. I never pushed the stop button, but this piece of shit is usually in maintenance. I would have taken the stairs if I weren't so tired." The American commented when the gaging paused. “Isn’t Jin with you?”

"Not this time.” He swallowed and continued. “You know what, excessive training is making you like that. It's stressing you physically and mentally. I'll talk to grandfather-"

"No! Please don't. It's my problem, okay? There's no fucking cure. It comes and goes. It's just a difficult phase, but it will pass. Don't say anything to JYP." Mark asked in a pleading tone. The other sighed in frustration.

"What do I say to the other JYP junior then?" JB raised an eyebrow at him. "He misses you like crazy and he wants to know how you're doing. He asked me to come here and say hi. He's in his acting class right now, but my voice coach got the flu, so I sneaked out of the mansion and-"

"You guys are at the mansion?" The older was surprised to hear that.

"Yeah. Intensive training." JB said casually.

"No special treatment, right? Screw that! Fucking rich boys." Mark made a face and sighed. JB chuckled, but his expression quickly turned serious again.

"Hey, I know you guys are not living in a palace, but after we're graded in our monthly assessment, Jin and I will find you guys a better dorm. We were told that as soon as we start showing improvements, we'll get rewards." He assured the American.

"We don't want a better dorm. We want you two here with us." Mark said as he closed his eyes again. He gritted his teeth when another wave of nausea attacked him. The look of concern on JB's face deepened as he crouched in front of the American sitting on the floor of the elevator, and noticed how pale he was.

"Hey, Markie, we gotta call someone to get us out. I don't have a cell phone with me. Do you have yours?" He asked, cursing himself for being so stupid.

"It's in the agency. After I was done with my schedule today, I forgot to get it back. I just ran to the nearest drugstore. I was out of meds." The older replied, as he leaned his head back and made an uncomfortable sound.

"Boy, you keep forgetting your cell phone everywhere!" The Korean commented impatiently but tried to remain calm." I’d never forget mine if I had one. As a matter of fact, it's been a while since I had one. Our teachers only let us use the phone at the mansion to call dad once a week. Once we do, it disappears from the living room." Jaebeom complained.

"JYP is an asshole." Mark muttered tiredly.

"I second that." JB nodded and put a hand over Mark’s.

“I wish Jinyoungie was here. I really miss him.” The American commented sadly.

"Sorry I’m the one who stopped by.” JB feigned hurt and put a hand on his chest dramatically. “By the way, I missed you too." JB added as he playfully narrowed his eyes at the older.

"You mean, you missed Jae." Mark corrected him with a frown.

"Can't I miss you both? Or maybe the 5 of you all at once? I mean, if Jinnie is the mother of the group, I am the strict dad, right? I’m the hyung after all, since you don’t act your age. I swear you’re a more like a maknae." JB smiled at him fondly. "How's everyone doing by the way?"

"Gyeom is doing well in his dancing and singing classes. Bam is rapping in three different languages, and also dancing like a maniac. Jae astounds every single coach of his with his piano skills and his voice. Jack and I are doing okay with rapping too, but we're also thinking of taking martial arts lessons. We didn’t even know the company had that kind of training. But one manager saw us talking in Mandarin the other day and he probably thought one of us could be the next Bruce Lee." Mark snorted and the other chuckled. He was totally engaged in the conversation now. His nausea almost bearable.

"Well, you might. Bruce Lee was from California, why not?" He grinned.

"He was born in the US, all right, but he was obviously more Hong Kongese than American. So I bet Jackson would be fitter for this role. Plus, I'm a Little Rooster, and Lee was a Little Dragon." Mark said jokingly. At that point, he had already forgotten the pain in his stomach.

"Why is that?" JB asked curiously.

"It has to do with the Chinese zodiac. Lee was born in the year of the dragon."

"No, man. I'm talking about you. Why Eric calls you Little Rooster?" The Korean often wondered about the origin of the nickname. He hoped the random conversation made Mark less anxious to get to his dorm room, since he had no idea when that elevator would start working again.

"I was born in the year of the chicken. My parents are Taiwanese, so that's why." Mark explained.

"Should I call you little cock then?" JB asked with a smirk.

"Well, it's not that little, you know." Mark teased a little. "It’s not my fault you missed the chance of seeing it for yourself."

"Maybe it was better that way." Jaebeom said quietly as he removed one of his hand from Mark’s and crossed his arms.

"Yeah." Mark swallowed, suddenly uncomfortable.

"I thought we would have a chance to work things out though. I mean, before I learned about the throuple arrangement." Jaebeom seemed eager to extend that topic. The American looked away.

"I don't think so. It was over as soon as Jae came back from Mokpo. He will always mean a lot to you." He declared confidently. He wished they were still discussing Bruce Lee. He hated debating about past mistakes.

"True. But I was mad at him, you know, because of all those secrets that I only learned when it was too late." JB clarified.

"Being mad at him, wouldn't make you fall in love with me." The American smiled at him sadly.

"But I did. At some point you knew, right?" the Korean gazed at him intently.

"Jaebeom." Mark said his name like a warning as he stared back at him. Yet, the younger refused to drop the subject.

"And then I regretted it later. I wanted to beat the shit out of my brother, I wanted to make him pay for making a fool out of me. I even thought of a whole plan to make you two break up. I wanted revenge." JB seemed lost in thought now.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't pursue it. Revenge wouldn't take you anywhere. You're not the type." Mark shook his head.

"Am I your type?" JB smirked. The American huffed a laugh.

"You're chic and sexy, so, yeah. Just keep this information between us, okay?" Mark chuckled. Of course JB was his type, he wouldn't have hooked up with him before if he wasn't. However, that happened months ago. A lot had changed.

"It’s not a secret. Everybody kinda knows about us. Including Jae and your boyfriends." Jaebeom said nonchalantly.

"I don't have boyfriends." Mark corrected him once more.

"Well, I heard you're sharing a room with Seunah." JB gave him a suggestive look.

"So?" Mark knew what he was implying, but he wouldn’t let that comment get to him.

"Come on! The guy is good looking, right? I know that, I have eyes. We even fucked once. He was my first, remember? Honestly, my brother can’t handle a candle to him. Don't tell me you don't even feel tempted." The Korean insisted with a smirk.

"I cannot believe you’re talking like that about your own brother… Listen, I'm waiting for Jin. Last time we talked, he said we would discuss our relationship properly, when the time came. It's impossible for any of us to even go on a date now." The frustration on Mark’s tone was clear.

"You don't have to go on a date, bunny. Jack's bed is right above yours." JB pushed, struggling not to laugh.

"You're so full of shit. We are not sleeping together, okay? And for your information, my bed is on top of his now." Mark said and gave a shrug.

"Well, if you're topping...He's bottoming for you already? Jin will be heartbroken." JB laughed foolishly.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you on something?" Mark was clearly amused now, as he almost started laughing with the other.

"Just trying to distract you. Is it working?" JB asked, as he examined his state. The American wasn't groaning in pain anymore. Only now Mark seemed to have realized that.

"Kinda. I should take my pill though, before it comes back-"

"Forget the pill." JB said as he swiftly took from his hands the plastic bag he was about to open.

"What the heck?" Mark gave him a questioning look.

"You're fine now. You shouldn't depend on them to be all right."

"Well, I'd rather depend on them than feel like shit. Now give it back."

"What if you run out of them one day, let's say, during your monthly assessment? Will you allow yourself to fail because of some nausea and a bit of vomit? What will the coaches say? That you're not fit to be an idol if you can't handle the pressures a celebrity has to go through." Jaebeom seemed to have seriously considered the possibility of Mark’s dismissal. He knew that if JYP figured out that Mark was more of a problem than a solution, he would get rid of him.

"You don't know what it's like. I need them." Mark insisted, and he could feel the nausea slowly threatening to return. He brought a hand to his stomach and Jaebeom suddenly felt guilty. He opened the bag, took the pill from it and handed to the other.

"Sorry, I'm an asshole. Just take it." He said dejectedly.

"I guess, it's too big. I'm gonna throw up." Mark complained. His throat was too sensitive, and the idea of putting anything inside his mouth almost made him gag. Then he observed as JB put the pill in his own mouth, chewed a bit and leaned on him.

"I'm making easy for you to swallow it. Just don't throw up in my mouth, okay?" JB whispered to him, as he put his tongue out of his mouth and showed Mark how the pill was already in tiny pieces, ready for him to ingest it without a problem.

"You really don’t expect me to…That's disgusting." Mark said as he looked away.

"It's not like we haven't shared saliva before." JB managed to say awkwardly, as he tried not to swallow the content on his tongue. As soon as he stopped talking, he put his tongue out again and eyed the older with impatience.

"If you keep this up, you're going to give me more anxiety than I already-"

Mark didn't finish his sentence. Before he could protest more, the Korean turned his head to him and shoved his tongue inside his mouth, spilling the medicine in it. The American stayed still for a second and then swallowed it. JB finally removed his tongue from his mouth when he noticed the older managed to let all the pieces of the pill slid down his throat. The Korean licked his lips and stood up quickly with a proud look on his face. Mark just eyed him with anticipation.

“Mission accomplished.” JB said awkwardly.

“You do know this was not okay, right?” The American muttered.

"I just needed to know." The other whispered as he turned around, facing the doors of the elevator.

"If I would throw up in your mouth?" Mark frowned.

"If it was really over." Jaebeom sounded serious now.

"Did you get your answer?" Mark sounded slightly annoyed.

"Maybe." The Korean said, pensive. Then the American stood up, grabbed his arm making him face him and pushed him to the wall.

"I'll do this. But later you're gonna have to tell Jae." Mark stated as he brought their bodies closer.

"What are you talking-"

This time it was Mark's lips that cut him off and attacked his, roughly and demanding. Jaebeom almost pulled away, but he didn't. His hands found the sides of the older's face and he deepened the kiss. Mark kept his hands against his chest, as he paced the movement of their tongues. The endless sucking and nibbling that earned moans from both teenagers. Then it was over.

"You shouldn't have done that." JB said finally as soon as he recovered from the kiss.

"You didn't tell me to stop." The American rolled his eyes at him.

"Mark." The Korean sighed.

"You should have gotten your answer last time I kissed you at the schoolyard. I felt nothing then, just as I don't feel anything now." Mark said quickly. Although he did feel something back then, now the feeling was long gone.

"I know. Thanks for reminding me of that." The younger sounded distant. Mark panicked for a second.

"Well, as soon as we get out of here you'll tell your boyfriend, okay? I don't intend to hide-"

"Okay. Just chill." He said simply.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. But now you are sure, aren’t you?" Mark asked tentatively. He searched for the younger’s eyes, and when he found them, he saw relief in those orbs.

“Yes. I guess, we are officially friends now. I mean, the kiss was fucking mind-blowing and hot…But that’s it. When I kiss my boyfriend, it’s more than just a kiss. I’m sure about Jae.” Jaebeom sounded firm in his statement. Mark gave him a small nod and the younger continued. "I'm sorry for being an asshole to you at that day you first stepped into the company. I've been meaning to apologize, but it was hard to get you alone after you came back from the hospital.”

"Look, the others apologized too, but they didn’t have to. So, I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told them. It's water under the bridge. The seven of us are past all that. Plus, I know why you were mad." Mark said.

“Do you? Really?” JB looked puzzled.

“You once said that you would be immortal for me, and that you’d always be where I wanted you to be. Yet, I ignored you when you offered to help. I sort of pretended that you were dead. I temporarily murdered you, Jinyoung, and all the others because I felt too dead myself. After all, Dorine had erased me from her life, she erased herself from my life. So I guess I thought that if my own mother had unmade me, I couldn’t be alive, could I? But there was this hunger inside me, that refused to die. Only when I am around you guys, this hunger is kinda satisfied.” Mark said honestly.

“I’m glad you resurrected then, and brought us back to your life.” Jaebeom beamed at him, and this time his smile was so genuine that his eyes disappeared from his face. “I’m not immortal, but our friendship certainly is.”

“Actually, JYP was the one who brought us together again. A contract bounded me to the Parks.” Mark reminded him, and the other made a face.

“Don’t say that. Geez, all grandfather wants is to control our lives.” Jaebeom’s smile became bitter.

“Don’t worry, according to Jack, one day we’ll be the ones in control. We’ll be the most popular Kpop group of this company and we’ll be the ones calling the shots.” The American said confidently. The younger chuckled.

“He’ll probably be the mood maker of Got7. I swear, Sseunah has more energy than the seven of us together. He obviously has some signs of ADHD.” He shook his head and then glanced at Mark. “I wonder what will be your role in Got7 bunny.”

“You heard JYP, I was born ready. Have you checked my looks?” The American batted his eyes and winked at him. The Korean blushed. Then Mark gave him his best aegyo pose. He remembered well how his modelling teacher told him that he was good at looking adorable.

“You know you’re cute, right? Just stop already, you’re killing me. Don’t ever do that around the others. I swear I’m the one who’s gonna puke now.” Jaebeom shook his head embarrassedly and covered his eyes with both his hands. The older started laughing at his amused expression.

Suddenly the elevator started working again and they yelled in delight. They were cheering and hugging each other when the doors opened, revealing a familiar face before them. The man had a bouquet of flowers in one of his hands and a nicely wrapped box of chocolates in the other.

“Happy birthday, Little Rooster.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Markbeom shippers mianhae! T-T  
> One out!


	47. 7 for 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sometimes two people have to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together."  
> —Anonymous

It was September 4, and Mark had forgotten his own birthday. With so much going on, he did not even notice how swiftly time flew. After Joey died, he struggled to forget the date, and now that he was in Korea, he had finally managed to do it. Being sick and having a full schedule every day was enough to get his mind off old grievances. Back in America, Mark did not feel like celebrating the date anymore, after all, his twin would not be there, and it didn’t feel right for him to toast his life alone. It felt tasteless and meaningless. If it wasn’t for his ex’s flowers, chocolates and felicitations, the date would have been completely neglected this time, just as he hoped it would. JB asked his stepbrother why he didn’t tell anyone about his birthday, and the American simply shrugged. He gave his ex and awkward hug, thanked the idol for the gifts, and for the sake of being polite, invited Eric into the dorm. The idol told him that he had already knocked on his door but no one seemed to be there. The American could already guess that Got4 just pretended that no one was there when they peered through the peephole and realized who the guest outside their door was. Obviously, the place wasn’t empty at that hour. The only problem was that none of the boys who were inside wanted to open the door for him. Followed by Jaebeom and Eric, Mark soon confirmed that his suspicions were true as he unlocked the door of his dorm and turned the lights on. He didn’t only confirm that everybody was there, but he also noticed that they had another guest with them. He was probably the reason why Eric had stayed outside. Nevertheless, Mark did not mind to see him there. On the contrary, his presence made him the happiest guy alive as soon as he laid eyes on that person. That alone was a hell of a birthday present and he didn’t feel like he deserved it. In the middle of the tiny living room, Got5 shouted an excited “Happy Birthday” and all of them started singing to him. Jinyoung was the one holding the birthday cake, but he quickly handed it to Jackson when Mark came running in his direction and jumped into his arms. The hug wasn’t like the one he had given Eric minutes ago, it was deeply meaningful and full of contentment. The idol was mesmerized by the scene. Happiness seldom adorned Mark’s expression so perfectly. Jinyoung wanted to ask what Eric was doing there, but he was too overwhelmed by the fact that he had his lover in his arms once again after so long. The maknaes had to break their embrace to get Mark to blow out the candles on top of the cake.

“Come on Markiepoo, make a wish!” Jackson patted his back in an encouraging way, when he noticed the American eyeing the candles with uncertainty. Still, he stared back at the flames reticently and made no motion to blow them out.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Jinyoung whispered next to his ear, and Mark briefly glanced at Eric across the room. That one knew what was wrong, he knew how Mark felt about the whole thing. They had spent enough time together for him to guess what made the other hesitate to make a wish, blow those candles and just be merry.

“Mark doesn’t celebrate the date. It was his twin’s birthday too, you see. I don’t buy him big gifts on this day, I give them to him later. But I bring him mint chocolate, because I want him to know that I hadn’t forgotten, that although Joey is not around, he is still here, he’s growing older, and he’s living. And his existence is special to me.” Eric said solemnly as he approached his ex and eyed him more closely. “Go ahead. You’re special to them too, and they just want you to realize that.” A long silence fell, before Mark nodded to him.

“Can you guys help me blow them?” Mark asked, as he glanced at his friends. They frowned at him. Jackson only knew about the fact that Mark and Joey were identical twins because Nam had told him. The other four certainly had questions to ask. Mark had never mentioned to them that his deceased brother was also his twin. They were aware that bringing up that subject at that moment was not ideal, so they kept their mouths shut. As soon as the birthday boy started a countdown, everybody surrounded him and the cake. When he said ‘3’, Got7 blew out all the candles. They clapped and hugged. Youngjae helped Mark cut the cake and distribute slices of it to the others. Bambam and Yugyeom put some music and started dancing. Jackson offered Eric a sit beside him on the couch and they started chatting. Jaebeom and his brother sat on the other couch across from them.

“I told you to distract him a bit and bring him back after ten minutes. You took like half an hour to return. Jae was about to go out and look for you.” The young Lim complained at his brother.

“Jinnie, we got stuck in the damn elevator. What did you want me to do? All I could do was make out with him while we waited. But I still got him here, didn’t I? The surprise worked.” JB said and gave a nervous laugh, but he was doing exactly what Mark asked him, tell the truth. Jinyoung was not laughing, and neither was Youngjae behind them. The latter furrowed his brows at the flabbergasted American, who had obviously overheard them too.

“Yah! Stop joking you ass!” Mark exclaimed and gave JB a harmless push on the back. He just wanted the oldest Lim to realize that wasn’t the best time to be honest. Not with a crowded dorm. He hoped he could act as good as Jinyoung at that moment, and he tried hard while changing the subject. “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe you Lim Jaebeom, you knew about all this? That’s why you were being so weird, right? You did say some things out of character there. You’re not good at hiding stuff, you know?”

“I did my best. I mean, everyone did. Everyone knew. I mean, except for the unexpected guest. He came here on his own.” Jaebeom clarified as he briefly glanced at the idol. Jinyoung and Youngjae seemed to have relaxed a bit after assuming that the ‘making out in the elevator’ part, was a joke.

“How did you guys find out it’s my birthday?” Mark was curious to know as he approached the couch.

“Dad told us, since you never tell us anything.” Jinyoung smirked at him. “By the way, he promised to stop by later.”

“Oh, nice. I’m gonna save him some cake then.” Mark smiled and went to the fridge in order to find them some beverages. He squealed when he saw the amount of alcohol in there. The others just laughed at his reaction. “How did you guys manage to bring this here without no one noticing?”

“The Lim twins always find a way. They bribed one of the managers responsible for this dorm, so we were allowed to bring food, beverages and outsiders in here tonight. We can play music as loud as we desire.” Bambam said in an animated tone.

“Great. Fucking rich boys always get their way.” Mark shook his head and gave Jinyoung a knowing look while Jaebeom laughed out loud. “It’s a pity the birthday boy can’t get plastered now that he’s 18.” Jinyoung noticed him whine and quickly followed him to the kitchen just to apologize.

“Mark hyung, we know you can’t drink because of your stomach, so there’s also juice in there.” Yugyeom shouted from the living room, trying to console his frustrated hyung. But Mark didn’t need more consolation then Jinyoung’s lips on his. The young Lim was devouring his mouth in a corner of the kitchen.

“I can’t wait to get you alone. I missed you so bad.” He whispered next to Mark’s ear. The American bit his lip when he felt Jinyoung’s breath against his neck.

“I can’t leave the dorm. There’s a curfew.” Mark whispered back.

“Do you see any manager around? Today you can do whatever you want, babe. No one will stop you.” Jinyoung assured him. Mark smiled at him contently after Jinyoung pressed his boy to his and nuzzled his neck. He bit his lip to avoid making any arousing noise, but his muffled moan made the younger face him again.

“Well, I cannot drink, but I certainly can fuck. It has been a while.” The older licked his lips and gave the Korean a suggestive look.

“How’s your back? How’s the CVS thing?” The Korean asked, focused on the older’s expression. He would be able to tell if The American lied to him and the latter knew that.

“The back is fine. The nauseas are being handled.”

“Well, it’s your special day. Your wish is my command.” Jinyoung smirked as he caressed his side with one hand while the other squeezed Mark’s butt. The American blushed furiously.

“We should wait till our guest leaves, of course.” Mark reminded him.

“He shouldn’t have come, but since he did, I don’t mind if he watches. At least he will know who owns that sweet ass of yours.” Jinyoung said playfully as he gave a Mark’s behind a gentle slap.

“That’s not very romantic.” The older pouted, and the Korean just rolled his eyes at him. When Mark tried to get out of his embrace, Jinyoung held both sides of his face and connect his magnetic eyes with the American’s. His expression became serious and contemplative. He wasn’t smirking, he was letting his mask fall before the other. A glimpse of that madness was still there, somewhere lost in his spellbinding features. Mark was transfixed by it.

“I love you.” Jinyoung said with the same intensity of his gaze and offered the other a peck on the lips.

“I love you too.” The American said softly and accepted the kiss, wrapping his arms around him.

“I love you more.” Jinyoung replied and his charming dimples melted Mark’s heart. “Did you like the surprise?”

“Yeah.” Mark said a bit disheartened. Jinyoung sighed and tried to explain himself.

“We didn’t know it was also Joey’s birthday today, I’m sorry if-”

“It’s okay. You couldn’t have guessed it. I’m glad the gang is all here. The seven of us are together, and that’s what matters.” Mark assured him as he caressed his upper arm.

“We’ve been away from each other for so long. It’s easy to get lonely with all this work and school…How are you managing it? Is Jack helping you get rid of the stress?” The Korean asked curiously. Mark frowned and removed his hands from the younger.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I don’t mind if you two have found ways to comfort each other through this trainee period. I wouldn’t hold it against you.” Jinyoung looked away.

“There’s nothing going on. Is JB the one putting things in your head now? Because if-”

“No! But we still gotta talk though. I told you we would.” Jinyoung said quietly, as he ran a hand through his silky hair.

“What is it? Come on, tell me what’s wrong Jin.” The American insisted as he held the younger’s waist in an encouraging manner. “I’m here, I’m listening.” The younger relented, but before he could say anything else, someone else called their attention.

“Will you guys please stop flirting for a minute and come join us in the living room? We’re still waiting for the drinks, you know?” Youngjae’s voice reminded them that they weren’t alone yet. Jinyoung whispered a softly ‘later’ to his lover and kissed his left cheek. They unwillingly disconnected their limbs and brought the beverages from the fridge to the living room. The couple couldn’t help but notice how Jackson and Eric seemed to easily get along. They knew almost everyone there was not too fond of Mark’s ex. After the American disappeared on them and stayed in the idol’s house, they simply ignored the young man. However, it was hard to ignore Eric now. Jinyoung was clearly not happy with the way his best friend casually touched Eric’s arms or legs as they chatted on the couch. Mark felt tempted to tell Jackson to sit with him on the rug, just to get his attention back. Yet, he kept quiet and tried to slowly chew on his cake. He secretly hoped that his ex left soon, and that he could have that private talk promised by Jinyoung.

“Let’s play Fuck, Marry, Kill.” Bambam stopped dancing and suggested excitedly.

“That sounds compromising. I hope this is not part 2 of that disastrous Never Have I Ever game.” Youngjae chimed in as he sat beside Jaebeom, who gave him a quick peck on the lips.

“It wasn’t so disastrous, was it? After that, we got back together.” JB smiled and the younger just gave him a shy nod. That comment immediately drew Jackson’s attention to the group.

“You know what?! That’s a splendid idea. It sounds exciting, let’s do it! Starting from the maknaes of course.” A delighted Jackson announced and stood up. Being the light and soul of the party as always, everybody eyed him curiously. His audience couldn’t help but nod to whatever he proposed. Without further notice, the natural born entertainer started the questions, making exaggerated gestures.

“This is gonna be fun.” Bambam cheered.

“Gyeom-ah! Bam, Eric and me! Who would you fuck, who would you marry and who would you kill?” Jackson asked quickly and pointed to him.

“Geez! I would rather marry and fuck a girl, but since I don’t have a choice here…I would marry Bam, fuck Eric and kill you?”

“Why the hell would you kill your lovely hyung?” Jackson eyed him bewildered. His hilarious expression made the others crack up laughing at him.

“For giving me 3 terrible choices. I would never marry my own friend, nor bang a male celebrity or kill someone.” The maknae complained and pouted. The Hongkonger dismissed his comment with a wave and continued fiercely.

“Bam-ah! Jackson Wang, Eric Nam and Kim Yugyeom! Who would you fuck, who would you marry and who would you kill?”

“I would fuck you, coz you’re the hottest guy in this dorm. And guess what, I would fuck you while married to YG, because he’s the sweetest guy ever, and he wouldn’t divorce me even if I cheated.” Bambam winked at Yugyeom and the latter just gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “Then I would kill Nam, just because whoever kills a famous dude, has a chance to get as popular as him. No offense, Eric.”

“None taken, kid.” The idol chuckled at him. He loved his sassiness.

“Jae-ah! Your turn now. Don’t chicken out, dear otter. You gotta choose between your handsome hyungs. Lim Jaebeom, Jackson Wang and Mark Tuan. Who would you fuck, who would you marry and who would you kill?”

“Well…” Youngjae sounded a bit uncertain, but JB just nudged him and whispered a softly ‘go ahead.’ So he just said at once. “I would marry JB, because I love him, though he’s an indecisive fuck. I would fuck you, coz everyone at Kirin High says you’re a good lay, and I’d kill Mark for making out with my boyfriend in the elevator.” His words didn’t sound like accusations, and his tone was still serene. Silence fell, but not for too long. Jackson ignored the stunned look on everyone’s faces and continued in a loud voice.

“My mate Park Jinyoung! I’m gonna take myself out of this equation because I know you would love to marry, fuck and kill me at the same time! So, here are the lucky ones, Mark Tuan, Choi Youngjae, Lim Jaebeom. Who would you fuck, who would you marry and who would you kill?”

“Jesus Christ, did you just say his brother’s name?” Eric looked amused.

“Well, I gotta make things fun.” Jackson replied with a big smile on his face. The idol stared at it for more than necessary. The Hongkonger didn’t take his eyes of him either, but Jinyoung cleared his throat and started speaking, forcing them to break eye contact.

“I would-”

“Yeah, we all know, marry Mark!” JB said in a mocking tone, giving his brother a knowing look. The latter just smirked at him and continued.

“I would marry Lim Jaebeom, coz most married couples don’t fuck, they just live together. I’d fuck Choi Youngjae because I kinda feel curious about what my brother sees in him, and I would kill Mark, for breaking the kissing rule all the damn time, especially with my twin.” The young Lim eyed his boyfriend knowingly. Mark swallowed. Jaebeom looked extremely bothered by his brother’s comment regarding Youngjae, and he couldn’t tell if Jinyoung really believed that something happened between Mark and him in the elevator. He wanted to question him, but before he could say anything Jackson squealed like a drama queen.

“Oh, my dear lord! This game is getting fired up, people! But, let’s not get too inflamed just yet! Keep telling yourself it’s all a game. Now it’s my turn, so I won’t take long. Come on, folks, give me the names!” Jackson announced in a loud voice. He was aware that the Lims could start a war at any second if the game stopped now. Therefore, he quickly signalled his Thai friend to say something.

“Lim Jaebeom, Park Jinyoung, Mark Tuan!” Bambam spoke in a hurry, but then frowned and shook his head. “Hell, it’s a whole family, and you’ve nailed them all. This would get too freakin’ incestuous! So let’s change. Eric Nam, Bambam, Mark Tuan.” The Thai boy said quickly.

“I’d definitely marry Nam, coz he’s like…He gives vibes of husband material. He gives good advices and he sounded pretty mature when I was spent time with him at his party. Then I would definitely fuck you Bam, coz we never got the chance to finish what we started on a certain day, and I would kill Markiepoo, for making me so unbelievably in love with him.” Jackson said all of that in a playful tone, making exaggerated and comic gestures and blowing kisses to the idol and to Bambam. The Markjin couple was obviously tense at that moment. However, it was Youngjae’s high pitched voice that abruptly caught everyone’ attention.

“Lim Jaebeom! Mark Tuan, Jackson Wang, Eric Nam. Who would you fuck, who would you marry and who would you kill?” Youngjae’s voice was louder than usual, but he didn’t look mad yet. Everybody noticed that he purposefully pluck himself out of the alternatives.

“I would marry Jackson, to keep him away from my brother and his boyfriend. I would fuck Mark, coz I’d love to know what the fuss is all about. I mean, everyone in this room wants a piece of him, except Jae and Gyeom. And last but not least, I’d kill Eric for making my brother jealous whenever he’s around Mark.” Jaebeom said nonchalantly. That statement regarding Mark was a clear provocation. He was just getting back at Jinyoung for saying that he would fuck Youngjae.

“JB, what the heck!?” The American let out a nervous laugh. Jinyoung shifted beside him. Mark could tell he didn’t like the ‘harmless’ dig. Jinyoung was the one who started, but JB’s choice of words were disturbing.

“You wanna fuck Mark hyung and keep Jackson away from him at the same time? I don’t get it. It seems to me you just wanna keep Mark hyung to yourself. But you wanna kill Eric for making your brother jealous?” Yugyeom seemed lost.

“I wonder if Jinyoung is the jealous one.” Youngjae commented suddenly. He didn’t know if he should start worrying now. But before anyone could say anything else, Jackson took over again.

“Remember guys, this is a game in which we must use our creativity to give weird explanations for impossibly plausible choices. It’s all fiction, not real life. No need for stress. The questions are random and so are the answers. The more absurd it gets, the better. It’s harmless fun. Don’t get your panties in a twist, folks!” The Hongkonger advised him.

“Every time we gather in a room for a game, the feathers fly.” Yugyeom commented, shaking his head. “Maybe we should play something else.” His foreign hyung simply ignored him.

“Nonsense, little one! Or should I say giant one?” Jackson made a comical face and continued. “M.A.R.K.! Our quietest hyung, take your pick! Dear Eric, your old flame, Jinyoung, your current bae, and me, the one who got away. Who would you fuck, who would you marry and who would you kill?” Jackson exclaimed, not sure if those names were good choices. Yet, at that point, he didn’t really care anymore.

“Kill Eric, fuck you, and marry Jinyoung. I’d kill Eric coz he dumped me once. I’d fuck you, because during all the time we were together I never got to top you. And I’d marry Jinyoung, coz even though we wouldn’t fuck, he could get off watching me fuck you.” Mark said, going along with the absurd rules of the game.

“Oh man, that was hot.” Bambam commented out of the blue.

“There we go.” Yugyeom put his hands on both his ears.

“This sounds like a throuple arrangement to me.” Jinyoung eyed Mark curiously, than he glanced at the astonished Hongkonger.

“This sounds like trouble, and you know that.” Jaebeom commented, as he eyed his brother’s adventurous expression.

“Whatever this sounds like, it shouldn’t bother you, right?” Youngjae turned to his boyfriend, and furrowed his brows. Jackson swallowed, regained his voice again and continued the game.

“I’m absolutely turned on right now, Markie! But let’s see who’s the winner in a second. Our idol friend is among us tonight! The first Kpop star who is dumb enough to hang out with us! Eric Nam, take your pick. Youngjae, Jinyoung, and me.” Jackson cheered.

“I would definitely fuck you, because I’ve been thinking about that since that prank we played on Mark. I’d marry Jae coz he’s talented and looks like a keeper. And obviously I’d kill Jinyoung, just because.” Eric said softly as he eyed the young Lim with indifference. Jackson had no idea Eric had any interest in him, but he felt like a door was opened right there.

“I guess we have a winner here.” The Hongkonger grinned at him.

“There’s no winner in this shitty game.” Jinyoung pointed out.

“Let’s play another round or-”

“Fuck, no Bam! I guess we could chat like normal people. We haven’t seen Jinyoung and Jaebeom for a while. Let’s catch up, shall we?” Mark suggested, trying to keep his composure.

“Give us some TMI!” Yugyeom asked the twins in good spirits. He was glad that the game was over.

“I have some news, but it’s not like a TMI. I found out that Amber stole Mark’s cell phone at Eric’s party and gave it to my grandfather. The old man wanted to find some more dirty on us. She was like JYP’s spy at school and somehow, she managed to get into the party too, even though we didn’t see her. JYP promised her a singer career at the agency if she provided him information on our group. She used Yoongi, Taehyung and the other players to get what she wanted. JYP overlooked the fact that Amber was also the girlfriend of the former captain of Kirin High’s soccer team, so that was, somehow a conflict of interests. She wanted to avenge her boyfriend Zico, and she ended up crossing a line. Grandpa was furious when he found out that she led JB to the school roof and tried to blackmail him. I guess their business relationship started to go downhill from there. She regretted being his private investigator at some point, so they cut ties, and now she basically abhors the old man. The truth is, last time I saw her, she had already signed a trainee contract with another company. SM Entertainment, no one other than grandpa’s biggest rival.” Jinyoung said casually.

“Good for her. SM has a lot of cool artists. I bet she’s doing better than us.” Bambam sounded a bit unenthusiastic.

“Come on man! SM Entertainment won’t stand a chance after we debut.” Jackson reassured him with a pat on the back. The Thai boy nodded to him and quickly hyped up at his friend’s words. He dabbed and kept making strange sounds like ‘skrrt, skrrt’ with his mouth. Mark wondered for a moment if he was on crack, but he just reminded himself that the Thai boy was just acting like the good old Bambam. Harmlessly random.

“What about you, Jaebeom hyung? Anything interesting to share? Maybe, at least you can give us a proper TMI?!” Yugyeom asked curiously, and JB just did one more time what Mark asked him to do at the elevator. Tell Youngjae what happened. But he also thought that it would be fair to let his twin know about it. So he turned to his boyfriend abruptly and in front of everyone said what he had to say. He hated secrets anyway.

“Mark and I got stuck together in the elevator for almost half an hour. We had nothing better to do, so we talked about us and we kissed, to make sure it was never going to happen again.” Jaebeom said abruptly. Youngjae remained speechless, completely in shock. Yugyeom was agape. Eric and Jackson frowned at that. Mark paled. Jinyoung simply laughed at it, and suddenly all the others joined him, laughing a bit awkwardly. Jaebeom remained serious, and so did Eric, who had seen them happily hugging each other in the elevator.

“Good try, brother. You almost had me there for a second.” He commented lively and gave him a high-five just before he kissed Mark on the cheek. The American looked somewhat relieved.

“It’s the second time he mentions it, I know he’s not making that up.” An upset Youngjae turned to Jinyoung.

"I don't think JB is joking either." Jackson pointed out what Jinyoung himself was trying hard not to believe. The young Lim exhaled and sent his twin a death glare.

“Oh my fucking God. Should we excuse ourselves, ladies?” A wide-eyed Bambam asked, without any intention of really leaving that living room. “I’d advise you guys not to air you dirty laundry in public, but I gotta admit it’s kind of entertaining.” The Thai boy chuckled. Yugyeom smacked him on the arm.

"Who initiated it? I mean, who kissed who? What the hell does that mean? Are you guys having an affair?" Youngjae demanded quickly in such a tone, that made his boyfriend start justifying himself right away.

"Hey, Jae. It's not like that, I-"

"Of course there's no affair. I initiated it, but I was just trying to give us closure." Mark stated firmly, cutting JB off. The others kept quiet, including Eric, who suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable to be there. He felt that that delicate moment between friends was not supposed to be witnessed by an outsider. Eric intended to see Mark, and Mark alone that night. He wasn't expecting to find such a crowded party. He wanted to take him out, apologize for what happened at his house when Mark was drunk, and perhaps, fix things between them. They had a history together and he didn't want his ex to throw that away. Although the idol had convinced himself of Jinyoung's complete victory over Mark's heart, Eric could not cut ties with him. If he could still hang out with his Little Rooster, that would suffice. Mark's friendship was better than nothing anyways.

"Oh, let me guess, it's still the same old story. Lim Jaebeom was still wondering if Choi Youngjae was his best choice!" Youngjae said sarcastically as he took a step away from his boyfriend and looked away, obviously upset.

"Look, I knew it had to be you, but there was this physical attraction between Mark and I...I was afraid it was still there. But it's not, so the kiss shouldn't be a problem, right? I mean, we were just making sure we wouldn't cheat on our boyfriends in the future. That kiss had a purpose, and I'm sorta glad Mark hyung took the initiative. Now we know that there is nothing between us, but harmless and caring friendship. The romantic feelings are gone. We both moved on and we know who we want." Jaebeom declared as he put one arm around Youngjae's shoulder. The younger seemed a bit unsure, but when he turned to face his boyfriend and looked deep into his eyes, he relaxed. Then he glanced at an apologetic-looking Mark beside Jinyoung and sighed.

"I guess I'm okay with it. As long as this was really the last time. No more doubts, no more wavering and no need for more proofs, right?" Youngjae asked, though his words sounded more like a statement when his arm wrapped around JB's waist. The latter just nodded to him and smiled. When Youngjae did the same, giving the older one of his brightest sunshine smile, Jaebeom slowly pulled him for a kiss. They heard cheers of excitement around them, hands clapping and a few "ews" coming from the maknae. Mark had never seen an argument and a reconciliation happen so fast. That couple never failed to amaze him. He was happy that they had each other. He wondered if his relationship with Jinyoung would ever be that uncomplicated. Everybody in the room seemed to have grasped that the 2Jae couple had reached an understanding and they were relieved for them. However, not everyone was completely satisfied with JB's explanation.

"What about you give me your version of the story? At least my brother apparently had his reasons to let you kiss him." Jinyoung protested, as he regarded the American by his side.

"I just said we needed closure, didn't you hear me? I just wanted him to know what I already did." Mark replied, as he approached Youngjae in the middle of the room, yanked him out of Jaebeom's embrace and gave him a hug.

"It's fine, I'm not mad at you." Youngjae said, startled by his American hyung's unexpected gesture. That was new. He didn't think they ever hugged, yet, he hoped that one was just the first hug of many they would share from that moment on.

"I know. You never are, and I don’t even know why. I'm sorry for everything. Thanks for putting up with me. JB is lucky to have you. You two are really made for each other." Mark whispered in his ear.

"Yay! MarkJae! That's a hell of a plot twist, Jaebeom. Are you feeling lonely yet?!" A loud Jackson announced in a playful tone. Everybody laughed, except for Jinyoung, who grabbed Mark by the wrist, and forced him to let go of his dongsaeng.

"Let's talk in private in your room." The young Lim sounded too serious. Jackson glanced worriedly at the pair. 

"Come on, Jin. You heard them. It's no use getting so worked up-"

"Can you please shut up? I didn't ask for your opinion." The young Lim said abruptly. Jackson looked shocked.

"I guess some things never change." The Hongkonger said a bit hurt.

"Jinyoung-ah, stop being childish." Jaebeom warned his brother.

"Well, I think I should go. It's late and you guys certainly need some time alone." Eric sighed as he eyed Jinyoung's hold on Mark's wrist. His ex could easily get away from that grip, but it was clear that he didn't want to. That bothered Eric. He indeed had to call it a night. "Mark, I'll call you tomorrow. Please pick up when I do."

"We have school and a tight schedule to follow right after. You are in this business, so you will understand if he doesn't pick up, right?" Bambam chimed in.

"As a matter of fact, we blocked your number-"

"Shut up, Yugyeom!" The Thai boy quickly cut off his best friend. Bambam didn't want the idol to know that they had blocked his number on Mark's cellphone. Yugyeom and him borrowed the older's phone once with the excuse that theirs didn't have signal and secretly completed that mission.

"I'll accompany you outside." Jackson suggested politely. He didn't like the way the others were being mean to Eric, but he knew that they were acting like that because Mark once chose him instead of them. The Hongkonger wasn't the type who held grudges. He still didn't think it was okay the fact that the idol slept with a drunk Mark, but since the American himself didn't seem to care, and Jinyoung accused him of being jealous, he avoided voicing his criticism. Suddenly he felt like he needed to get away from that room too. Therefore, when Eric moved to the door, he was right behind him.

"Where the fuck are two you going?" Jinyoung yelled, making the idol and his old friend turn.

"I'll be back when you're gone." Jackson replied calmly. Jinyoung released Mark's wrist and marched to him.

"No , you're not. And neither will you Eric. Since you are here, you're going to tell us what you did to Mark while he stayed in your house." The young Lim demanded. Jackson shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't think this is the moment nor the place to discuss this matter." Eric frowned as his eyes met Mark's gaze. He figured out that his ex was probably so wasted that day that he didn't even remember what happened in that kitchen. Now the idol understood why Mark’s friends were acting so hostile. He assumed that they believed he had taken advantage of their American hyung.

"Just say it, Eric! Did we do it or not?" Mark exclaimed impatiently.

"No. I gave you a blowjob and you passed out. I took you to bed and cleaned you up. I'm sorry for even getting on that kitchen floor with you. I should know better. We can never go back to that routine we had back in LA. We’re in South Korea now, and I can see how this country can change people’s perspectives. You’ve clearly changed, though you look the same." The idol exhaled and gave Jinyoung a disgusted look. "Can I go now?"

"Please do." Jinyoung said shortly. When Eric walked out the door, Mark was the one who abruptly ran after him. Jinyoung even moved to stop the American, but Jackson stood in front of the door blocking his passage.

"Leave them. You know he will come back." The foreigner said quietly as he gave the Korean a reproving glare.

"What about you?" Jinyoung asked, as he stared at the Hongkonger.

"What about me?" Jackson gave him a questioning look.

"You and Nam have been flirting the whole fucking night in front of our faces!" The young Lim complained. The others slowly left the living room and gathered in Yugyeom and Bambam’s room. They knew they had to give the two some space. If the JinSon pair was going to have an argument in the middle of that birthday party, they wouldn’t stop them. Got4 would often refrain from taking sides or try to get them to stop arguing. Jaebeom and Youngjae tried to interfere in one of their rows once and they ended up in trouble. Eventually, Jackson and Jinyoung made up and the two who tried to keep the peace between them were criticized later. Their friends knew best not to meddle in an old married couple affair now, and that’s exactly what JackJin looked like.

“Well, I don’t think that’s none of your concern. We are not together anymore. I don’t owe you any explanation. So I can flirt, date, fuck and even freakin’ marry someone else if I want to. There’s no stupid arrangement between us anymore, remember?” Jackson reminded his friend vigorously.

“He’s Mark’s ex! Don’t you think that’s weird?!” Jinyoung insisted unreasonably, throwing up his hands.

“No Jin. You are the one who’s being weird. You have Mark only for yourself now! Can’t you just be satisfied with what you have and stop being jealous of everyone around you?!” the foreigner raised his husky voice as he started to genuinely lose his temper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyonhaseyo, fellow Ahgases! How are you holding up?  
> Still no cure for this plague infecting the whole world, right? But no worries, I'm sure some brilliant minds will come up with a solution at one point. Let's be optimistic, and be kind to each other.  
> Hwaiting!
> 
> Well, now there's something nice to disract us a little, Got7's new album.  
> The awaited comeback really happened!=)  
> What are your opinions on it?
> 
> Take care and stay healthy.


	48. I'll Protect you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Last night I lost the world, and gained the universe.”  
> ― C. JoyBell C.

Mark wasn’t able to catch up with his ex. When the teenager tried to get on the elevator, Eric ‘accidentally’ let the door close before he could board. He knew the idol could have held the door for him if he wanted to, but he didn’t. He also knew that Eric would have pressed the ‘door close’ button repetitively just to get away from him. Mark knew him well, and he could tell that he was upset, frustrated and obviously ashamed for what happened between them. Mark was aware that his ex was a good guy, always the gentleman. If he wasn’t, the idol could’ve done whatever he wanted to him while he was still unconscious in his kitchen. A heartless jerk would have taken advantage of him, raped him, photographed him, or recorded the whole thing on a video just to blackmail him later. However, that was not the type of guy Mark had once fallen for. He would always be safe around Eric Nam. The teenager could understand why his ex took off like that and avoided talking to him. Eric didn’t like Jinyoung, nor the way Mark behaved around him. After he told the idol about his story with the Lim twins, Jinyoung obviously wasn’t one of its heroes, he sounded more like a villain to Eric’s ears. Mark assumed that his ex didn’t approve his relationship with Jinyoung, because he thought the Korean was no good for him, and the idol’s opinion mattered to Mark, even if he wouldn’t admit it. Eric was there for him before the car accident and after it. Eric knew the rebel and impulsive Mark Tuan who wasn’t engulfed by guilt, and the traumatized Mark Tuan who learned to see death everywhere. Mark wished Eric could know the one he was now. Mark wished they could be reintroduced to each other again and be part of each other’s lives. He wanted to sit down with the idol, ask him about his day, his current hobbies, his career, his goals, or simply take a walk with him. He desired his friendship, for the sake of their old and strong bond. Mark wished he could change his mind, make him see that his current boyfriend was reliable and caring, though he acted like an asshole sometimes. However, that wouldn’t be possible at the moment. For some irony of the destiny, the elevator doors worked perfectly. Nam was gone and Mark couldn’t abandon the party his friends had so thoughtfully prepared for him. Jinyoung also wanted to discuss their relationship. They needed that talk, and he wouldn’t delay it for nothing in this world.

When Mark turned around and walked back to the corridor that led to his dorm room. He noticed the doors of the elevator open again. He wondered if Eric had regretted leaving in such a hurry, but it wasn’t the idol who regarded him with a sympathetic smile. It was his stepfather accompanied by someone else, and she simply stood there, unsmiling. He was speechless for a long minute. He wanted to ran to the woman and hug her, and scream at her at the same time, but he just stood still, speechless. Surprise, relief, contentment, sadness and other multiple conflicting emotions overwhelmed him at that moment. She was alive and well. He couldn’t believe his own eyes. Dorine Lim Tuan, his mother who had disappeared for more than a month was there, in the flesh. The shock in his expression made Mr. Lim try to calm him down a bit.

“She just showed up at the house. I told her I would talk to you first, prepare you for this, I tried to tell her to wait. But you know your mom better than me. Stubbornness is clearly something you both have in common.” Taek-Geun said tentatively as he took a step forward. Mark backed away from him. The American wondered why she had to show up on his birthday. Was the woman planning to make him feel guiltier about the fact that her golden son wasn’t there because of him? He wouldn’t let her destroy his night.

“So you just do as she says and brings her here to wish me a fucking happy birthday!?” the teenager gritted his teeth as he glared at his stepfather. Mr. Lim sighed.

“Yi-en, I am your mother.” She said firmly. Her son’s upset tone didn’t seem to affect her. That sentence enraged the boy. She was never really a mother to him. He didn’t know what her intentions were, but he could guess she was not there to wish him a happy birthday. He suddenly wished she was not there, that she would just disappear all over again. He worried and missed her all the time she was away, but now that she was there, he realized that his preoccupation was a waste of time. She could take care of herself, she always did. He was the one left crying in a hotel room unable to fend for himself. He was the stupid kid she ordered to take a shower just to disappear on him. No mother would do something like that to her child.

“I don’t have a fucking mother. You’re dead to me! Just like Joey and dad.” An enraged Mark retorted as he looked away. He was glad he had taken his pill earlier. His level of stress now would probably make him throw up his birthday cake. Mr. Lim seemed to have realized his mistake and tried to keep the situation under control.

“Mark. I am on your side, okay? It’s not easy to forgive, and I know that. I understand how you feel, but we need to sit down and talk about this-”

“I will not sit down, nor talk to this woman. She means nothing to me, and I mean nothing to her. We have nothing to do with each other. You should both leave.” Mark insisted as he glared at the man.

“Can you leave us? I must talk to my son alone.” A serious Dorine said as she turned to her worried husband.

“NO! You brought her here Taek-Geun, you take her away! I swear to God, if you leave her here with me, I won’t be responsible for my actions.” Mark ignored the woman and warned his stepfather.

“Stop being dramatic. You’re 18 now, you should start talking and acting like an adult. It’s time you stop running away from me.” She commented patronizingly.

“Dorine, you’re not helping! I only brought you here because we agreed that I would be present during this talk-”

“Nonsense. I can handle my own son. **”** She said nonchalantly, and Mark couldn’t help but explode.

“Your son is dead, remember I killed him? As a matter of fact, you would be celebrating his birthday today, if it wasn’t for my drunk driving. On a day like today, Joey would be playing the piano for dozens of guests, while you and dad would proudly show off your golden boy at his own birthday party. I just happened to be there, to blow the candles by his side, and for that brief moment, I could feel eyes on me. But I knew the family wouldn’t be toasting my presence there, they wouldn’t be singing for me. My existence was never worth of their acknowledgement or yours. You never saw me, you never will. Even after he was gone, I still remained as a shadow before your eyes. Well, guess what, I refuse to be a shadow now, Dorine. I’m not who you’re looking for. The one you seek is buried in a cemetery in LA.” Mark spat, and for the first time he saw shock in his mother’s face that night. Her husband tried to intervene one more time.

“Dorine, come with me. We should go back now. We can do this another day. It’s for the best-”

“I came to talk to my son, and I will.” She took a deep breath and continued. “Mark, we got the house back. Your aunt found some investors, the family company can emerge as a profitable business again. We need you there, as your father always wanted. I found a good lawyer who can easily null your contract with JYP Entertainment. No more blackmailing. You’re gonna leave this hellhole you’re living in, and this goddam country. It’s time to return to America, son. We can permanently go back home.” She said with an anxious smile on her face. Mark was agape.

“You were in the US all this time? What the fuck!?” the teenager was perplexed.

“Yes. I had to be there. Your aunt called me and I had no time to waste-”

“So you abandoned me in that hotel room?! Couldn’t you wait until I finished showering? You could’ve told me about it! You could’ve answered my calls, responded to my texts or written an e-mail, a letter, anything!” he eyed her in disbelief. Taek-Geun felt sorry for the kid, but he felt that once Mark learned the whole truth, he could move on.

“JYP had people following you and he even had your phone! Who knows what that old man is capable of! He could be hacking it. I didn’t want that snake to know that I planned to get you out of this damn contract. Telling you my whereabouts could jeopardize everything. By the way, as soon as I left that hotel room I text Eric to pick you up. It’s not like I disposed of you.” She explained herself, unable to realize the absurdity of her own words.

“You hate Eric!” Mark pointed out, as his hands trembled with indignation. He wanted to make her leave or stop talking, but he knew she would not do it if he simply asked her politely. He was fighting the urge to use his fists to make her stop.

“He was the only option I had left. Don’t you see? He came all this way for you, he left his family and country! You trusted him, you loved him once. Maybe you could forget that stepbrother of yours and come back to your senses. Nam, your eternal hero rescued you, right? He put everything aside and ran to your aid. It’s obvious he still cares for you. I will not be an obstacle for you two anymore. You and him officially have my blessing if he decides to go back to America with us. To be honest, I hoped that once I returned, you would still be at his house. Anyone is better than that Park Lim Jinyoung.” She said carelessly as Mr. Lim made an uncomfortable noise beside her.

“You did this on purpose? You isolated me, than you threw me at my ex, so we could get back together? How insane are you, woman!? Do you really think I’m going anywhere with you?” Mark was beyond dumbfounded now.

“This is what you always wanted! Eric, America, me! You kept whining about how I was a terrible mother, how I interfered in your relationship with him! You resented me for bringing you to South Korea, you hated me for thinking only of Joey! But now, I’m righting my mistakes. I came to your birthday party bearing gifts my son. Can’t you just be grateful and accept them?” Dorine looked irritated.

“You abandoned me!” Mark yelled.

“I was securing your future. Be reasonable. I am giving you your life back, your freedom back.” She insisted.

“My freedom? You want me to be who I am not! You want me to take over the family business. Once we go back, you’ll try to control me, order me around and try to find a way to fix me! Do you want me to drop everything for that? I’m supposed to leave my friends, my boyfriend and Taek-Geun? What about you? You also have unfinished business here! What about the marriage?!” the teenager asked as he glanced at his stepfather.

“She already filed for divorce.” Mr. Lim said bitterly, but he soon smiled and continued. “A piece of paper means nothing. You’re still family. You don’t have to do what you don’t want to, Mark. You’re 18 now, you decide. I’ll be supporting any decision you make, remember? You are not alone. There’s a home for you-”

“You are not his father.” Dorine cut him off. “Go pack, Mark. We’re leaving.”

“No, I’m not.” Mark said shortly. At that moment, Got6 came running through the corridor. The group had become worried for the American, since he took too long to return to his dorm room, and they all decided to go looking for him. They could hear Mark’s yells from affar. The boys looked astonished to see the guiding counselor of Kirin High School there.

“Look who’s here. Are you here to harass your son on his own birthday? Have a heart, Mrs. Lim Tuan.” Jackson said in Mandarin. She simply ignored him.

“Dad, is everything okay?” A tense Jaebeom asked his father before he bowed politely to Dorine. She gave him a tiny smile, but it soon disappeared when she laid eyes on Jinyoung, who placed himself beside Mark’s side. Jackson and the others stood right next to the couple.

“Do you need our help to take out the trash?” The young Lim said provocatively. He did not regard, nor greeted her formally, even though his brother did. He saw the consternated state of his boyfriend and he wasn’t happy about it.

“Dorine already said what she had to say to Mark. Now she’s leaving.” Mr. Lim said calmly. The other boys just watched the disturbing ‘family’ interaction.

“Nonsense, I’m not leaving without my son.” Dorine stated firmly.

“Do you want us to call the police?” Jinyoung asked briskly, obviously vexed to see Mark so worked up. He held his hand tightly and he could feel it trembling in his grasp. The American blinked away his tears when he saw his friends and his boyfriend there. Their support was all he needed.

“Go ahead. You’ll have the opportunity to come clean, confess your crimes and stay the hell away from my son. I haven’t forgotten that you drugged and took naked pictures-”

“Dorine, please leave. I don’t care about America, you, or father’s company. I’m staying here and I don’t wanna be anywhere else but here. I’m already home.” Mark stated firmly as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. His mother sighed.

“What do you think Raymond would say, huh? You’re choosing them over his memory? Over me?” She looked obviously hurt now as she came very close to him and looked him in the eye.

“I’m choosing me, mother.” The American said finally.

“Yi-en…” she whispered seemingly defeated. Then her eyes changed suddenly, just as she uttered, “memento mori”. At that moment, her son frowned at her. Then Dorine abruptly grabbed him by the arm and tried to drag him away from his friends. But before Mr. Lim or Got5 did anything to keep her away from Mark, Jinyoung gave her a violent shove that sent the woman tripping on her heels. She even tried to regain her balance as she held on the handrails of the staircase next to the elevator, but it was rusty, so it broke down. Time seemed to stand still as Got7 and Taek-Geun watched horrified as Mark’s mother screamed and fell down the long flight of stairs.

“Holy shit!” Bambam exclaimed as everyone ran to the stairs. Dorine’s husband approached his unconscious wife carefully, checked her pulse and gave a sigh of relief when he realized she was still breathing. The teenagers crowded her, but he told them to stay back and warned them not to touch her. He instructed his eldest son to call an ambulance and Jaebeom quickly took his cell out of his pocket and started calling 119. At the meantime, the other boys just stayed near, unable to do much. Mark didn’t move, he was too astonished to even speak.

“Mark, listen, I didn’t mean to, it was an accident. She was dragging you away and I just tried to protect you from her, I just-”

A desperate Jinyoung started to apologize as he turned to his boyfriend, but the older didn’t even look at him. When Jinyoung put a hand on his shoulder, he roughly brushed it away.

“I can’t believe you did this.” Mark cut him off and simply turned around and walked away from the scene. The young Lim tried to stop him but Jackson intervened. 

“I’ll talk to him, just stay here.” The Hongkonger instructed him and ran after the American. Jinyoung cursed under his breath and unwillingly listened to his friend.

“Oh, my God. She’s not waking up, is she?” asked a frightened Yugyeom.

“Don’t worry kids, she’ll be okay.” The principal said in a controlled tone as he examined the woman’s state. She wasn’t bleeding anywhere, but one of her legs was bending at an odd angle. He could guess that she had hit her head too, he just had no idea how hard she had hit it.

“She has to. Especially for Mark’s sake. I mean, she’s the only parent he has.” Youngjae commented quietly.

“Don’t forget about me, Youngjae. I haven’t divorced his mother, so technically I’m still his stepfather. Even if I did divorce Dorine, he would still have me.” The principal added.

“If she dies, her death is on me.” Jinyoung whispered guiltily to himself. No word could describe what he was feeling at that moment. He knew what losing a mother felt like, and although Dorine Tuan was not the best mother in the world, he was aware that Mark loved her regardless. The American had already lost a parent and a brother, another loss would be too much for him too handle. The fact that he was the one responsible for that accident, causing the older to possibly go through such a terrible pain again, filled his mind with fear and anguish.

“Nobody is going to die, you’ve just heard your Dad. She’ll make it.” Bambam tried to console his hyung. Mr. Lim gave the boys a reassuring look. He could hear the sound of the ambulance near. His eyes immediately scanned his surroundings again, he saw Jaebeom calming a nervous Youngjae by his side, he saw Bambam and Yugyeom talking hurriedly to a distressed Jinyoung and he wondered where his stepson had ran to.

“Boys, where did Mark go?” He called out. “Jaebeom, the ambulance is here, go get your stepbrother.” As soon as Mr. Lim finished his sentence, an unsettled Jackson was back to the corridor.

“Mark locked himself up in our room. I’m not able to convince him to come out.” The Hongkonger said frustrated.

“Don’t leave him alone, okay? He needs his friends now. Get him to the hospital as soon as you can. It’s his mother anyways, he ought to be there.” The principal instructed the boys.

The paramedics arrived, and put Dorine in the back of the ambulance. The cops showed up, and so did JYP. Mr. Lim explained quickly to the cops that she had fallen the stairs. They wanted more details, but JYP easily got the cops out of Teak-Geun’s hair so the principal could get in the ambulance and accompany his wife to the hospital. Got6 stayed back to look after Mark. The teenagers were still upset with the accident they witnessed, but they would try to be optimistic for their friend and convince him that his mother would be okay. However, when they returned to the dorm, the American was still inside his room, isolating himself from the world and its problems.

They pleaded with Mark to open the door. Youngjae sang him a comforting melody through the door. Yugyeom and Bambam slipped a piece of paper under his door saying that they were there for him. Jinyoung and Jackson knocked on the door dozens of times till their knuckles became sore, and Jaebeom even threatened to kick the door open, but nothing they said convinced the American to open the door. Mark turned on the radio to mute the sounds the others were making outside. He didn’t want to see or listen to anyone. He didn’t think they could understand what he was feeling at that moment. But there was someone that could. He saw Jackson’s phone on his bed and he knew that the Hongkonger had exchanged numbers with Nam during the party. So he picked it up and unlocked the screen of Jackson’s phone, simply drawing a ‘7’on it. He had seen Jackson doing it a hundred of times, and he often wondered why the Hongkonger was so obsessed with that number. Without much difficulty, Mark quickly found Eric’s number on his contact list and texted him.

 _“Hey, it’s Mark. Are you still up? Can we talk?”_ Mark typed in a hurry.

 _“Jackson, do you know what time it is? Stop playing around.”_ Eric responded.

 _“It’s really Mark,_ Yoon-do. I left my phone at the company, so I borrowed Jack’s. _”_ Mark knew that regarding Eric by his Korean name would convince the other that it was really him writing those messages. People rarely called him by that name, and Mark knew that.

_“Hi! It’s still early for me to go to bed. Sorry I left so sudden. I had a schedule tonight. I’m filming a TV CF for Trivago Korea. Hope you’re not mad about what happened at my house. I shouldn’t have touched you when you were like that.”_

_“Nevermind. We can talk about that another time. How come you’re so busy and you’re still responding my messages?”_ Mark had almost forgotten that his ex was an idol and that he also had hectic schedules. He wished he could be with Eric at that moment. Anywhere was better than that goddamned building that murdered his mother. He wasn’t really sure if she was dead, but he already prepared himself for the worst. He was used to negative outcomes. He was aware that those stairs weren’t the only culprits for his mother’s accident. She was wearing some killer heels. She lost her balance and the handrails were old and rusty. However, before all that, there was a violent shove, firm hands that pushed her away. Those images kept repeating themselves in his mind.

 _“I have a 5 minutes break. Why are you texting me anyways? Aren’t your friends keeping you entertained at your birthday party?”_ Eric’s question made him sigh. That’s was a hell of a birthday party, probably an unforgettable one, especially if Dorine died. Passing away in the same date she had given birth to him and Joey would be a freaky coincidence.

 _“Dorine showed up. We had a row. She wanted me to go back to America with her. She was in LA all this time.”_ Mark revealed, thinking of how surprised his ex would be if he told him that Dorine had given them her blessing.

_“Holy cow, Little Rooster. Is she gone? Do you need me there?” O_O_

_“You’re working, don’t bother. She’s gone now. Perhaps for good.”_ Mark didn’t want to worry Eric with the news of his mother’s accident. He himself didn’t know if she was still alive. He didn’t want to know. He felt conflicted, lost.

 _“I’m surprised you managed to get rid of her. Maybe it’s better that way. I mean, you do wanna stay in South Korea, right?”_ Eric’s words made him gasp. If he only knew…

 _“Yeah.”_ Mark replied, not so sure of what to do next, in case his mother passed away. His eyes watered.

_“There’s also the boyfriend…”_

_“Hum.”_ The American didn’t want to think of Jinyoung now. He loved him, but he couldn’t bear to look at him right now. He wondered what kind of son would he be if he let Jinyoung console him, or touch him now.

_“What’s wrong? Is it still the date? I know it can bring back memories. Are you thinking about Joey?”_

_“Why didn’t you hate me when I caused the accident?”_ Mark typed fast. He wondered if Jinyoung was feeling as bad as he felt when he caused his father and twin brother’s death. When the Korean tried to apologize earlier, he knew that deep down, he regretted his actions. He always ended up feeling bad for his bad deeds. Jinyoung just seemed unable to avoid them.

 _“Mark, it was an accident.”_ It was Eric’s response, short and honest. Mark could almost picture his sympathetic smile when the older typed those words.

 _“But still, it’s because of me that he’s not here.”_ Mark felt like he wanted to disappear. He didn’t want to be unfair to Jinyoung, but he couldn’t pretend that what he did was forgiven.

_“It wasn’t on purpose. You didn’t want it to happen either. You were grieving too. You had already blamed yourself enough, and I wanted to stay by your side, because I loved you.”_

_“You loved him too.”_ The teenager insisted. He wished he had half of Eric’s strength and a bit of his power of forgiveness.

 _“Don’t beat yourself up. It’s a complicate date, but you gotta try to remember the good things too. Remember that day on the beach, how the three of us had fun. Remember your matching tattoos. Look at that ink on your calf and say to yourself, memento vivere.”_ Eric’s suggestion made his heart break. How ironic. Before Dorine fell, she said to him ‘memento mori’, the same words she said to him when Joey died. She wanted him to remember the face of his dead twin, she claimed that he should contemplate how he would look like when he died. She said that his tattoo was a memento mori. The same tattoo that once adorned his twin’s ribs. Mark wondered if he should try to remember more the alive Joey or dead Joey. The truth was that both Joeys never left his mind.

 _“How can I live, when they’re all dead?”_ Mark started crying hard now as he looked down at his tattoo. It could easily be seen since he was wearing baggy long shorts.

_“Raymond and Joey surely wanted you to live. Your brother loved you more than anything in this world, he told me that the day I started going out with you. He told me that you were not him. He told me that although the two of you were twins, you owned different souls. He warned me that if I intended to use you to forget him, he would kill me.”_

_“You never told me that.”_ Mark wondered how many conversations Eric and his twin had about him.

_“I’ll tell you more some other day. Enjoy your night, or at least try. You have good friends, Mark. They’re are messy and loud, but they care for you. Learn to let them in, open up to them. Let them know how you feel, what you like, what you dislike, and what you expect from them. Soon they will do the same, and you will all be on the same page. That’s how friendships work. Knowledge and understanding. You’ll see that in your darkest hours, they will make all the difference. They might even protect you from yourself. **”**_

_“You always seem to have the best advices. Thanks.”_ Mark huffed and shook his head. He suddenly felt like an idiot for pushing Got6 away in a moment like that.

_“Of course I do! ^-^ Look, I gotta go back, okay?! My manager is calling me. I’ll catch up with you later.”_

_“Bye, and sorry for bothering you at work.”_

_“I can always make time for you. Sleep well, Little Rooster.”_

_“Good night, Ricky.”_

Mark let his ex go back to his work and decided to follow his advice. As soon as he turned off the radio and opened the door, he saw his six friends sitting on the floor, three with their backs leaning on the wall next to the door and the other three leaning on the couch of the living room. They all stood up when they saw him standing there. He eyed them intensely and then looked down.

“Help me.” A vulnerable Mark said, as he let go of all his restraints and opened his arms to receive a group hug from his friends. They ran to him and engulfed the American in their embrace. He could already tell that Eric wasn’t wrong. That group hug made all the difference.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's scared of Dorine? Who's scared for Dorine? XD


	49. In This Chest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A mom’s hug lasts long after she let’s go.” – Unknown

"Oh, you're here?" Youngjae asked from the kitchen as he got a glimpse of Mark entering the dorm room.

"Yeah. I usually use the lunchtime to stop by the hospital. I should get going by the way." The American commented, as he took his wallet and car keys from his duffel bag and walked to the door.

"Mark, wait!" Youngjae called out before his hyung opened the door to leave. Mark turned around to meet his anxious eyes and promptly elaborated his answer, ready to say exactly what he imagined the other wanted to hear. He was used to that routine already. Everybody was constantly checking up on him, and although it felt a bit uncomfortable sometimes, his friends' concern over his well-being gave the American a sense of belonging. They had become like little brothers to him. However, most of the time, he was a hyung who was treated like a maknae.

"I know what you're gonna ask. So let me tell you beforehand, I took my CVS meds, and I already ate something. I'm not nauseated nor feel sick in any other way." The older sighed. "I’ve just met Bam and Gyeom at the company building and they both asked me the same thing. Any other questions?"

"How is she doing?" The younger asked quietly, hoping that Mark wouldn't deny giving him that kind of information. Since the fall, Dorine hasn't woken up. She had been in a coma for almost a month and although Mark hated hospitals, he religiously paid her a visit every week. JYP had at least granted him that kind of freedom.

"Just the same, still in deep sleep. So yeah, no change at all." Mark replied shortly. He didn't mind answering that question, what really bothered him was the fact that he would always give the same response to whoever asked about her state. His mother's condition never seemed to improve and he refused to fool himself into believing that it would. He feared for the best and hoped for the worst. In a short span of time, he got rid of his nosocomephobia. Since he went to see Dorine weekly, he got used to spend hours inside a hospital, and that’s how he had finally overcome his fear of it. He forced himself to, he didn’t have a choice. During Dorine's fateful visit at the dorm, the woman mentioned how she wanted her son to act like an adult, and she urged Mark to stop running. Only now he knew he had to mature, for everybody's sake. He figured that he should at least be responsible for his own health and stop worrying everybody around him. He turned 18, so it was indeed time to grow up, and especially grow out of his 'childish fears', as he called them. Abandonment was also one of those fears. He sought to put it past him too. Taek-geun did prove he was more like a father to him than Raymond had even been. Mark now trusted his stepfather completely. They had grown even closer after Dorine's accident. Ironically, only now that Dorine filed for divorce, the teenager realized that she had indeed married a very good man. He didn’t even correct Mr. Lim when he called him ‘son’ anymore. The principal had officially become family, and Mark didn’t dare to push him away now. Taek-geun was at the hospital with Dorine most of the time, and the teenager was grateful for that. His stepfather practically left Kirin High in the hands of its vice principal in order to be by his wife's side. The American wondered if he had developed feelings for her at some point, yet, he wouldn’t dare to ask Lim about it. At least not now.

"She'll wake up, hyung. Don't lose hope." Youngjae said, giving him a sympathetic look. Mark wondered if that would be a good thing. He considered himself a terrible son for thinking like that, but he wasn't sure if he wanted his mother to wake up. He knew what she would demand from him as soon as she did. And he didn't know if he would be able to deny her one more time. While Dorine was in a hospital bed, he had the best excuse not to go back to the States and look after the family business. He had informed his aunt in America about his mother’s state, and since he needed to look after Dorine, leaving South Korea was out of question. His aunt understood and promised him to look after the firm in their absence. Mark was somewhat relieved. He knew where his mother was. She wasn't lost. He could see her every week. He could often talk her, freely, without having to listen to the woman's constant reproaches. There were no arguments between them. She was alive, in a place he could always find her. He felt somewhat closer to her now, even though he wasn't sure if she heard him whenever he talked about his day at school or his training routine at JYPE. She was silently peaceful and he would not take that for granted. Rare were the occasions in which they would be in the same room without screaming at each other and without making each other feel miserable. Mark believed that those times were gone for good.

"I appreciate your words, Jae." The American said and waved him goodbye, but before he turned to leave, he frowned as he realized that just like the maknaes, Youngjae should also be at the company building having lunch with the others trainees. "Wait a minute, what are you doing here, mister?"

"Jaebeom is picking me up for lunch. No one is supposed to know. That's why I sneaked out of JYPE at this hour. The managers are all distracted having lunch too and watching the other kids’ diets." The dongsaeng whispered as if he was telling the other a mortal secret.

"It's a date, huh? Sneaking out with the CEO’s grandson. Look at you Choi Youngjae, a rule breaker. Good for you, kid." Mark smirked, winked at him and gave his dongsaeng the thumbs up.

"Please, don't tell anyone." The Korean's frightened eyes widened a bit.

"Hey, man. No worries, your secret is safe with me. It's totally cool. And I'm sure that even if you got caught, your boyfriend would find a way to get you out of trouble. That's one of the advantages of being the JYP's heir. You should know that you got yourself your own private rich superhero." Mark assured him with a playful smile. It made the younger huff.

"You should smile more often. It looks good on you. I mean, you already look good, but that's really a plus." Youngjae commented as he grinned. Mark blew him a kiss comically and soon, Youngjae’s simple grin turned into a megawatt smile, his copyrighted sunshine smile.

"And you should hold back on the rays of sunlight. You might blind someone out there. JB might feel threatened." Mark chuckled as he jokingly put his hands on his face to cover his eyes as if his dongsaeng’s smile was too bright. The other rolled his eyes at him and just waved away his comment.

"By the way, since we're talking about him, I know he was the one who initiated that kiss in the elevator. Thanks for trying to make things easier for him, but you shouldn't have. He's not the type to let others take the blame for him in anyway. I know you made him promise you that he would tell me about the kiss, and I appreciate that, but he would’ve told me about it sooner or later. He’s incapable of keeping secrets from me." Youngjae's tone became more serious now. He wasn’t boasting. He was stating a fact.

"He only fed me my medicine. I was the one who turned that stupid gesture into a kiss, a proper one. I'm sure he clarified that to you. We both know who's the one he loves and I’m standing right in front of this person." Mark said firmly as he pointed to the younger. He didn't have any intention to hide anything from his dongsaeng. He genuinely wanted the 2Jae couple to find the happiness they deserved.

"Yeah, I guess we do.” Youngjae said looking away, somewhat embarrassed.

“How come you’re so understanding when it comes to me? I would’ve punched you in the face if you tried anything with my boyfriend.” The American eyed him curiously. If he was in Youngjae’s shoes he would never end up befriending the guy who pushed him to the floor the very first time they met.

“Before I met you in person, the maknaes had told me about you. My first impression was that you were probably a very sad and lost hyung. I kinda felt sorry for you when I heard about what happened to your family back in America. Then I met you and I couldn’t help but feel even more pity for you. I thought you masked your pain with your hostility. But there was more to you. I realized you were strong, brave, and bold. I admired your spontaneity and bluntness. Then I found out about you and Jinyoung. I wanted to hate you, because you had kept JB in the darkness when you knew he was developing feelings for you. However, I could not blame you for keeping secrets. Every single new information I learned about you, kinda confused me. You were always too quiet, enigmatic and a bit violent…Slowly I came to understand that you’re an intense hyung, vague and inconstant, extremely difficult to read, but even though you don’t talk much, your actions say a lot about your character. Those characteristics don’t make you a bad person. Just unexpectedly interesting, and a little bit scary. Jaebeom, Jackson, Jinyoung, Eric, the maknaes, Mr. Lim…They are all fond of the different yous, for unknown reasons.” Youngjae chuckled. “I can’t pinpoint why, but I sort of knew we would be friends at some point. I wouldn’t dare to waste my time trying to find reasons to hate you. I like you too.”

“Thanks for seeing me as a pitiful, weird American hyung who was unable to steal Jaebeom from you because most of the time I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. I appreciate it, I guess.” Mark said in a fake offended tone, Youngjae snorted.

“Come on, you know what I mean.” Youngjae shook his head. “You do know you are important to me, to all of us.”

“I do, Jae. And I love you too. Can I go now? Before your date arrives here?” Mark eyed him impatiently. The boy simply nodded contently.

“All right! Have a nice date, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t! Nothing below the waist, make him work for it, kid. But if you give in, don’t forget to use protection.” Mark winked at him and the other blushed furiously. He waved his dongsaeng goodbye and when he was about to walk out the door, Youngjae’s words caught him by surprise.

“Strange advice. Jinyoung hyung told me you guys never used condoms, not even when you guys had your first threesome.” The sentence took Mark by surprise. That was some intimate information he didn’t expect his former lovers would share with anyone else. Park Lim Jinyoung, it had to be him, always the asshole. He wondered how he was doing. He felt his heart get heavier in his chest. He felt a pang in his chest whenever he heard his name.

“When did he tell you that?” he said in an obviously vexed tone as he turned around to meet Youngjae’s eyes. Then he closed the door as quick as he opened it.

“Long time ago.” Youngjae noticed his glare and continued. “Don’t make that face. He was mad at you and heartbroken because you had asked him for a break at Nam’s party. Remember that crazy and disastrous round of silly games? JB and I took him home that night. He was devastated and crying his eyes out. When we got back to the mansion he kept saying how he was a screwed-up and how he disappointed you in so many ways. He started getting drunk and I wouldn’t let the guy drink alone. When JB went to bed, I stayed up until late consoling his twin, and one talk led to the other.”

“Then he probably told you how he and Jackson managed to pop my cherry or something?” Mark asked annoyed as he folded his arms across his chest. Youngjae raised his eyebrows in surprise when he looked at him.

“I never…He never mentioned that they were your first time? Wow! I guess you’re more innocent than I thought.” The younger was perplexed. Mark swallowed uncomfortably.

“Since you have been secretly meeting his brother, answer me this. Have you been to the mansion? He hasn’t contacted me since the birthday party at the dorm. Have you seen him? How’s he?” The American changed the subject, quickly after realizing the mistake he had made. He cursed himself for letting Youngjae know about the details of his sex life.

“Do you really wanna know?” Youngjae eyed him expectantly. The older took a deep breath. He couldn’t tell if Jinyoung was punishing himself, or punishing both of them. He didn’t want to now.

“It doesn’t matter. Forget that I asked. I should get going. I’m late.” Mark said shortly and walked out of the place at once.

Mark went to see his mother at the hospital. He greeted his stepfather at the entrance who sadly informed him that she remained in deep sleep. The American didn’t mind that. It was just a usual day of visit, he didn’t expect a full recovery. But there was something different in her room that day. Flowers and a get well soon balloon were adorning her bedside table. The card only had the letters ‘JYP’. Mark threw them away as well as the card and the balloon. He talked to Dorine a little, he smiled bitterly at her immobile and unresponsive state and then he left.

When he got back to the dorm, he could swear he saw Eric’s Maserati leaving the garage of the building, but then again, he wasn’t really sure if it was his. His ex was not the only rich idol in the city who could drive a vehicle like that. Mark quick dismissed that possibility and as soon as he entered the place, an agitated Hongkonger greeted him.

“Fucking finally.” Jackson almost squealed, and his overly enthusiastic mood took the American by surprise. Jackson was usually energetic, an extroverted by nature, but the American could swear that something was up.

“Where are the others?” Mark asked curiously. His eyes scanned the place and the Hongkonger seemed to be the only one there.

“Not here?” Jackson said playfully and lightened up a cigarette. “Sorry man, just kidding. They already moved their stuff to the new dorm. I mean we didn’t have too much stuff, so it was easy to pack. I was waiting for your ass so I could deliver the good news in person. I had a look at it already, the place’s bigger, more ventilated and there are 4 bedrooms this time, much more livable than this one. You’re gonna love it.”

“What do you mean? Moving out? What about this dorm?” Mark sat beside him on the couch, curious to know what had happened during his short absence.

“JYP is closing it. Certainly trying to save his ass from being sued. He’s probably worried about what Mr. Lim might do. He didn’t know your mom was divorcing the principal. Your stepfather promised the old man once that he would go to the papers if he didn’t take care of you properly. Now his wife is in a hospital bed because the handrail of a staircase at the JYPE’s trainee dorms are in terrible condition. JY Park has his own reasons for getting us a new place. This building is falling to pieces, it can kill someone. No human being should be staying in such a place. If the press hears about stuff like this, that will be bad publicity for him.” Jackson explained.

“It wasn’t just the rusty handrail, and you know it. We all saw it. He pushed her.” Mark added carelessly.

“Sweetheart, it was an accident. He was trying to free you from her. You know he didn’t mean it.” Jackson tried to reason with the older.

“Do I? Do you?” The American knew Jackson was right, but he couldn’t help it. It hurt him the fact that Jinyoung didn’t contact him after the accident. There was a group hug when he had left the room crying. Mark told Got6 about his past in America, how the dynamics of the Tuan family worked, how the loss of Joey and Raymond affected him, how his mother always blamed him, he revealed everything. Just like Eric advised him to do, Mark let them know who he really was. The group was happy to see him open up at the occasion, but Mark soon decided to go to the hospital to check on his mom. JB and the others accompanied him, but Jinyoung didn’t stay with him that night. The Korean had a devastated look on his face. He seemed to be sadder after he heard about Mark’s life in America. He told Mark one more time how sorry he was, touched the side of the older’s face, and then he was gone. Mark never stopped him from leaving.

“Mark, I know him. You gotta believe me when I tell you this, Jinyoung is not a murderer.” The younger stated.

“Of course he isn’t. She’s not dead yet. ” A bitter Mark corrected the Hongkonger. “I mean, she looks dead, but Taek-geun claims she can listen to every word we say. He says she’s still breathing, so there’s still life in her. I’d rather think she’s living on borrowed time, like all of us. We just don’t know for how long is the time lent.” Mark said gloomily.

“I wish you would stop saying these things. You can’t act like this now that the 7 of us will be finally under the same roof. He already feels guilty enough, you know. ” Jackson commented tiredly. It looked like Mark was draining all his positive energy of a few minutes ago.

“Excuse me?” A wide-eyed Mark asked. His heart almost skipped a beat.

“JB and him are finally moving in with us. Their monthly assessments were perfect. Full marks. They are fucking debuting already as actors. They’ll take part in a television drama series called _Dream High 2_. Even the old JYP has a role in this shit. Can you believe it? So, since the Lim twins did very well on their assessments, Jaebeom asked the old Park to let them move in with us and he couldn’t say no.” Jackson informed him quickly.

“He can’t move in with us!” Mark said in exasperation. The other looked puzzled.

“Are we talking about Jinyoung or JB?” Jackson frowned at him.

“Of course, I have nothing against Jaebeom. However, it’s because of Park Jinyoung that my mother is in a fucking hospital bed. Does he really think I’m gonna move in with him now? I haven’t heard from him in weeks!” Mark fumed. “You know what?! That’s why he’s unable to get his act straight! He does something shitty and it’s overlooked, or he gets a pat on the back, and sometimes a reward!” The American shook his head in disbelief. He was terrified of seeing Jinyoung again. He didn’t know if things would ever be the same between them after what happened to Dorine. He didn’t want to hate him, yet he wondered if it wouldn’t be wrong to keep loving him now.

“Mark that’s not-”

“What happened? Should I remind you of some facts? He’s a pyromaniac, who put fire in his father’s school. No suspension, no expulsion. He threatened to kill me in the middle of a road when we were inside of his car once. No charges. He drugged me at Yugyeom’s party and-”

“I’m aware of all that! I get your point, okay!? But I know in my heart that Jin-”

“If you’re going to defend him now you should just shut the fuck up, pack your stuff and leave.” Mark gritted his teeth.

“Look, I’m not going to plead his case, okay? But the guy stayed away all this time because he didn’t want to make things difficult for you, but he’ll drive himself crazy if you keep avoiding him. He needs to see you, talk to you and apologize properly.” Jackson insisted, doing his best to access the situation.

“I don’t give two fucks about what he needs right now. He’s lucky to have a friend like you. I envy him. It’s clear you’re more his friend than mine.” Mark complained as he stood up from the couch.

“Mark, what are you talking about?” The Hongkonger seemed to grow a little impatient as he tossed his cigarette into an ashtray.

“If you were my friend you would know that it would be too difficult for me to see him, talk to him and accept his cheap apologies now. Dorine is not the best mother in the world, but she’s my fucking mother! She was good to Joey at least.” Mark stated, as he crossed his arms and looked away.

“I guess he was right then. Jinyoung didn’t think that would be a good idea either.” Jackson declared, looking a bit down.

“What?” the American was startled.

“JB is the one who asked for a reward. He was the one who asked JYP to let him and his twin come live with us. Jin commented that it would be unhealthy for you if he stayed with us. I told him I’d prove him wrong. My bad. I thought you missed him as much as he missed you.” Jackson sounded frustrated as he ran a hand through his hair.

“If the others had left already, what are you still doing here?” Mark changed the subject quickly, before he started crying. He missed the Korean, he missed him like crazy. He missed saying his name, hearing his voice, getting lost in his magnetic eyes, touching him, smelling him, just being around him... He missed all of him.

“I was waiting for you to give you the news in person, remember? I told the others I would join them after you came back from the hospital. I already packed your shit too. You have your car, right? I know the address of the new dorm. I’m gonna give you the directions and we can go there together.” Jackson announced as he stood up. Mark eyed him suspiciously.

“Was Eric here?” The American asked casually. Jackson looked a bit disconcerted.

“What makes you think that, love?” his tiny smile denounced him.

“I guess I saw his car outside. Maybe he’s the reason why you stayed here a bit longer?” Mark knew he was getting somewhere.

“Well, he came to see you, but I told him you were visiting your mom at the hospital. The other guys simply ignored him, so I had to play the good host while they packed their belongings. JB brought his car and took Jae and the maknaes to the new dorm. I stayed back to properly send Eric away.” Jackson licked his lips and gave the older a suggestive look.

“Oh my God! Did you two fuck?” Mark was flabbergasted.

“We’ve been fucking for a while now.” Jackson said simply.

“Seriously, Jackson? Since when?” The American didn’t look, nor sounded happy.

“Does it bother you?” The Hongkonger asked in a serious tone as he studied Mark’s features more closely.

“It will bother me if you’re using him to forget me.” Mark was obviously upset with that revelation.

“You don’t want me to forget you?” Jackson grinned.

“Eric is important to me and so are you. I truly hope you know what you’re doing. I don’t want any of you to get hurt.” The American stated, not sure of what to think of that ‘relationship’. He wondered if somewhere within him a spark of jealousy was ignited. Ignoring that bad taste in his mouth, Mark went into his room grabbed the stuff that Jackson packed for him and hurried the Hongkonger to leave that hellhole.

“I’m not playing with him, you know. I already figured that he’s not the one-night-stand kind of guy. He’s a serious dude and I respect that. We’re still getting to know each other. I wouldn’t dare to use him.” Jackson said, as soon as they reached the elevator. Mark nodded and they silently left the building.

As soon as the pair arrived in the new dorm, first thing they noticed, everyone was already drunk. They dropped their baggage on the floor and observed the scenario before them. There were tons of empty beer cans on the carpet and due to the moans and groans they could hear coming from one of the rooms, someone was about to get lucky that night. The maknaes were almost passed out on the couch. Jackson soon found out that Youngjae and Jaebeom were making out in one of the bedrooms and he almost squealed when he peeked through the half-opened door and got a glimpse of JB spreading kisses all over Youngjae’s bare chest. If they weren’t drunk, they’d certainly have locked that door before getting rid of their clothes. Yet, Youngjae tensed when he felt eyes on them. And as soon as JB noticed that the Hongkonger was spying on them, he got off his lover, shut the door on Jackson’s face, just after calling him a pervert and yelling at him to stay away from their bedroom. Mark chuckled at his reaction. The Hongkonger just shrugged. It seemed that the room arrangements were obvious. A 2Jae room, a YugBam room and the other two for the remaining foreigners.

“Children, wake up! Go to your beds.” Mark called out the youngsters, who unwillingly obeyed him and disappeared in one of the rooms.

“Well, it seems everybody started the house-warming party without us. We are late, but we might as well get plastered too.” The Hongkonger said as he picked up a beer from the fridge and handed another to Mark. “So, how do you like the vibe of this place?” Jackson asked casually.

“I dunno. Haven’t seen the whole place yet. But don’t you get the feeling that there’s something missing?” The American sighed, and when he was about to ponder his own question, someone came out of one of the seemingly empty bedrooms. The American didn’t know he was there, but there he was. The missing last piece. Time stood still.

"Hey!" Mark's voice almost cracked.

"Hi, there." Jinyoung replied awkwardly. Jackson eyed the two, noticed the heavy atmosphere in the room and hurriedly excused himself. He took more three cans of beer with him and disappeared into one of the empty bedrooms in order to give them some space.

"Are you already moving in?" The American was obviously surprised to see him there. His heartbeats accelerated when the other started speaking. It felt like centuries he hadn't heard that voice or laid his eyes upon him.

"No, I'm not. JB is. I was just helping him bring his stuff up here. As you can judge by the noises, he and Jae are catching up." Jinyoung sounded casual, but that was no doubt an intense moment for him too.

"How come he's joining us and you're not? I thought both of you were supposed to leave the mansion." Mark wanted to ask him to stay. He needed him to stay. He would give the world to make him stay. The words were threatening to slip from his mouth at any second. He took a sip from the beer Jackson had given him and tried to keep his feelings in check. He was glad that his CVS was controlled, he genuinely felt like getting hammered that night.

"That was the idea. But I don't wanna make things awkward between us. Jackson informed me you didn't react very well about the news. I received his text about 10 minutes ago.” Jinyoung informed him quickly as he showed the older a couple of messages the Hongkonger had sent him.

“He probably texted you while I was absentmindedly driving us here. You guys are so joined at the hip! It’s really impressive how you tell each other everything.” Mark pointed out, feeling a bit left out. “Congratulations for the TV series by the way, I didn’t think both the Lim twins were that good at acting. I know that you’re a natural.

“Thanks. I’m sure you and the others will be debuting soon too. Jackson tells me how you guys are working hard for it.” Jinyoung’s voice was serene and collected. He was acting, and Mark knew it. He could tell the Korean had a lot to say, but he was holding himself back.

“Look, you should accept your reward this time. You earned it.” Mark insisted, anxiously waiting for the other’s response. He took a step in his direction, afraid that the younger might bolt out of the front door just to avoid that uneasy moment.

“I can’t do that to you. The last thing I want is to stress you out. So, I'll stay away." The young Lim revealed in a bittersweet tone. The older knew he meant that.

"I can handle, Jinyoung." Mark told him quickly, without meeting his eyes. He didn’t know what he was thinking anymore. He practically called the Korean a bunch of names earlier and roasted Jackson for taking his side. Yet, now, he was almost begging him to stay.

"Well, I can't." He said simply. "I worry and I care for you. I refuse to be a trigger." Jinyoung declared. Mark nodded and swallowed hard. He wanted to insist, but he also felt he shouldn’t press him too much.

"So you're going to stay in the mansion by yourself?" Mark looked pensive. He couldn't be sure if the Korean's presence in the new dorm would make things easier, or more difficult for them. He couldn't promise to be friendly towards him while Dorine was still in a coma. But he was aware that he wouldn’t bear to keep his hands away from him either. It thrilled Mark the fact of just having him there, so far, so close. His mother had once implied that he would choose Jinyoung over her, and for some reason he didn't want her to be right. It bothered him the fact that she could be right. Jinyoung had that kind of power over him and he felt like shit for being so weak. It was hard to digest the idea that Jinyoung could do terrible things and still own his heart. Admitting that Dorine was right, now, that she was actually the victim, made him feel undoubtedly guilty. What if she died, or never woke up? Would he have the courage to go back to his lover as if nothing had happened?

"Do you care?" Jinyoung asked quietly, raising an eyebrow at him. Mark wanted to scream at him _‘yes, motherfucker! Are you freaking kidding me?_ ’ But he still managed to keep his fragile composure.

"That mansion is depressingly big for just one person to live. I just can't figure out why would your twin stay with us if you're not. He should at least keep you company." Mark ignored his question and started pacing around the room.

"Choi Youngjae. It's obvious, isn't it? The Korean snorted. "He misses him, a lot. So, when he told me he was going to live with the rest of you I couldn't hold him back. I did some stupid things to keep them apart once. Not anymore. I do know what it means to miss a loved one.” Jinyoung paused and sighed. “Plus, they've been separated for too long. Since Jae returned from Mokpo it's been one problem after the other. Perhaps now they'll get to spend more quality time together."

"Missing a loved one is indeed an endless torture. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy." Mark then met Jinyoung's magnetic gaze. His dark eyes had such a mesmerizing profundity that the older almost lost himself trying to read the vastness of mixed emotions in them.

"This pain I’m feeling in my chest is not only mine, is it? When she wakes up, the torture will be over for us, right? Can you please assure me that once Dorine open her eyes, we’ll find our way to each other’s arms again, for both of our sakes?" Jinyoung pleaded with a sad smile. Mark saw him, beyond his pain, beyond his aching love for him.

"What if she doesn't? What if she decides to sleep forever just to keep us separated? Are we going to call it quits? Just like that? We're gonna let her win just because she's unconscious in a hospital bed? How is that fair?" Mark said it all at once. His eyes watered. Jinyoung was taken aback by his words.

"It was an accident, but I was the one who caused it. If someone did that to my mother, I’d never forgive that person. Jiyeong Park wasn’t perfect either, but there’s not a single day I don’t think of her. Losing a mother is a big deal. I don't want you to feel bad for being with the guy who-"

"Fuck that! Without you Got7 is not complete, I am torn apart. There will be always something missing if you don’t move into this dorm with us. Damn, I didn’t expect to say this to you, but despite what happened to Dorine, I need you here more than ever. My father and brother are gone. Dorine is freaking undead. We don't have to be dead to each other, Jinyoung. We gotta take advantage of the moment we have now. Tomorrow might never come. Memento vivere."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been sick guys.  
> sorry for the delay and grammar mistakes.  
> I'm kinda better, but I'm still recovering.  
> Hope you're all safe and doing fine.  
> Thanks for sticking around.  
> Take care, folks.


	50. Crazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Spread deep in my heart   
> A soft fragrance spreads   
> So that it won’t disperse   
> Stay beside me   
> You know what I mean  
> You make me crazy..."
> 
> ~Crazy, by Got7

Jinyoung didn’t know what to say. Of course, he wanted to move in with Got5 and his boyfriend, the whole gang together under the same roof was more than he could ask for. He missed his friends, and although his grandfather’s mansion offered him the comfort and luxury he wouldn’t ever find in any of JYPE’s dorms, being surrounded by those he loved mattered more to him than anything else. However, that was not his decision. What he desired and what the American needed could be two different things, and he wanted to make sure, that his presence there wouldn’t be a burden to Mark.

“I should get going, Mark. I’ll see you around, okay?” The Korean said, as he examined the older’s features. He knew he should walk out the door immediately. If he stayed one more minute there, certainly the other would be able to convince him to stay. And Jinyoung feared that maybe living together was not the best option for them right now. He had made a lot of mistakes before, he cooked up plans and made sure his schemes worked exactly the way he expected. All of it to secure his relationship with Mark. He was once beside himself with worry when he thought that his best friend or his brother could be an obstacle for him. He still managed to keep Jackson’s loyalty and Jaebeom’s trust after all his mind games and manipulation. Yet now, the only obstacle in his way was himself. He wondered if he decided to stay, the guilt and resentment between them would eventually destroy their relationship from within.

“Haven’t you heard what I say? Do you want me to beg or something?! I want you to stay, goddammit! There, I said it!” Mark threw his arms exasperatedly as he took a step in the younger’s direction. His upset tone made the younger sigh, and unconsciously take a step back. Jinyoung would not be able to say no to the American if he came too close. Jinyoung wouldn’t bear to have him so near and deny him anything. His resolution was almost failing him.

“What happens when you wake up every single day and see my face? The face of the guy-”

“The guy I love!” Mark said quickly and bit his lips. A wide-eyed Jinyoung was rendered speechless when he continued in a pleading voice. “Stay with me, Jinyoungie.” Before the Korean could protest, Mark reached out for his shoulder and pulled his boyfriend to him. His head bent down to the crook of the Korean’s neck. The abandoned way the older’s warm breath landed on Jinyoung’s body sent goosebumps down his back. He longed for his touch, that maddening proximity, the familiar scent, which intoxicated his very soul. Even though his mind told him to push the American away, Jinyoung’s amorous arms immediately wrapped around him. His uncertain hand gripped the nape of his lover’s neck and collided their lips together. He felt Mark relax in his embrace and put all his feeling into that kiss. His lips were as silky as he remembered them. Soft and tempting. Jinyoung felt that urge to keep kissing them till he could devour all of Mark. The rapturous dance of lips, teeth and tongue became more heated when Jinyoung pulled the older impossibly closer until their hipbones met and started grinding himself against him. Mark moaned into the kiss as his hand gripped Jinyoung’s waist and their hard-ons were pressed against each other.

“Shall we go to one of the rooms?” A breathless Jinyoung broke the kiss and beamed at the mess that was his boyfriend now that they had passionately reacquainted their bodies by each other’s inflammable touches. Mark’s glossy eyes, flushed cheeks, disheveled hair and rosy abused lips were a sight to die for.

“You can do me anywhere, as long as you fuck me good.” An aroused Mark whispered lasciviously, as he groped the front of Jinyoung’s pants. The younger gasped and promptly dragged the American to the only empty room left in the place. As soon as they reached the bed, Jinyoung hungrily removed Mark’s hoodie and spread love bites all over his torso. He took his time sucking, nibbling, and playing with his nipples. The older couldn’t help but groan loud. He closed his eyes and arched his back when Jinyoung removed his sweatpants and boxers in one single motion and enveloped his erection with his skilled mouth. Jinyoung loved to have Mark so turned on by his motions. He felt his dick twitch inside his pants every time Mark left a lewd noise escape his throat. He played with his balls, nuzzled his groin, caressed his inner thighs, and when he spread Mark’s legs, his tongue soon found his hole. Mark’s fingers squeezed the bed sheets as Jinyoung kissed, licked, and sucked his anus, stimulating his lover slowly and mercilessly. His hand never neglected the American’s shaft. The faster he pumped Mark’s erection, the deeper his tongue invaded his anus, sending multiple waves of pleasure to his core. The older’s body shuddered from head to toe when Jinyoung finally decided to show some skin too. The Korean sexily grabbed his shirt from the back of his neck and yanked it over his head, revealing his impeccable abs.

“Do you like the view, baby?” Jinyoung teased as he observed his lover’s half-closed yes inspecting every angle of his body. Within a second, Mark’s lips were on his and his hands travelled all over his chest.

“Stop torturing me. Give me what I want.” Mark whined, as he hurriedly unbuttoned Jinyoung’s pants and slipped a hand inside them. When his hand squeezed the younger’s hard-on, Jinyoung’s loud groan echoed in the room.

“I’ll give you what you want.” Jinyoung pushed his hand away and pulled down his pants and briefs, presenting his hard dick to his lover, who almost salivated when Jinyoung offered it to him. Mark eagerly got on all fours and reached for his erection, but Jinyoung stopped him. “Are you that hungry for my dick, baby?” the Korean asked as he held Marks’s chin to his groin and rubbed his erection on both his cheeks and all over his face.

“Fuck my mouth. I wanna feel you down my throat.” Mark whispered in the most pornographic way possible. Jinyoung’s eyes darkened with pleasure. Seeing Mark so submissive always made him lose control.

“Open wide for me baby.” Jinyoung whispered his command and the American obediently parted his lips to receive his lover’s cock in his mouth. Mark kissed it slowly and gradually started to bury the younger’s erected cock into his hot mouth. Jinyoung’s hands grabbed his hair tightly and forced his whole length down his throat. Mark liked that, he would’ve stopped him if he didn’t. He loved when Jinyoung asserted his dominance over him. It was a big turn on for him to have the Korean control the pace and roughly shove his dick in his wanton cave. The way he instructed him, made the whole thing even more satisfying. “That’s a nice mouth you have there, baby. You’re doing just fine, you’re so hot. I know you like being fuckfaced, but I can’t wait to fuck your ass later. I love you Mark, and all your deep warm holes.” The older moaned in the blowjob, unable to give him a proper reply. As the younger fucked his mouth, Mark would look up and lock eyes with him from time to time, and Jinyoung could tell he was enjoying it. But it was when Mark started touching himself that Jinyoung felt his orgasm build up. The image of the older stroking his penis while eating his pushed him to his limit. Mark took him all the way, as Jinyoung thrust in as deep as he could go, and stood still while his seed spilled down his throat. Mark was overwhelmed by the sensation of Jinyoung’s dick pulsating with each squirt as he swallowed his semen. The American also ejaculated as a result of his own masturbation and due to the simple fact that he could make his partner feel so good with just his mouth. In the throes of passion, Jinyoung’s pleasure became his, and their orgasms became one. Jinyoung slowly pulled his dick out of his mouth and gave him a deep kiss. He tasted his own cum on Mark’s lips. Tired of being on all fours and overtaken by the afterglow of their intense climax, a sweaty Mark collapsed on the bed, as he tried to regain his breathing. A content Jinyoung was soon above him covering his body with his.

“Shit, that was kinky.” The American whispered and smiled satisfied as the Korean laid his head on his chest.

“Are you okay? Is your mouth sore?” the younger asked as he lifted his head a bit and rested his chin on Mark’s shoulder.

“I’m great. You were great. You should fuck my mouth more often.” Mark said shamelessly and Jinyoung was the one who blushed this time.

“Jesus Christ, I can’t believe I said those things.” The Korean buried his face in his a pillow next to him.

“What? About loving all my deep warm holes? Damn, I almost came as soon as I heard those obscenities coming from your wondrous lips.” Mark chuckled as he playfully ruffled Jinyoung’s hair.

“Were you offended? Was I too vulgar?” The Korean asked as he stared into Mark’s innocent-looking doe eyes. He couldn’t believe that was the same guy who was deep throating him minutes ago. Jinyoung had and angel in his life and a fiend in his bed. Both of them were Mark, and he couldn’t be happier to have fallen in love with someone so perfect.

“You were hot, and I loved every second of it.” A beaming Mark assured him with a peck on the lips.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay if I move in?” The Korean asked out of the blue. The other nodded to him and kissed both his eyelids.

“As long as you promise me our sex life will never get boring, you’re free to stay in this room, in my bed, and in my warm holes forever.” Mark replied sheepishly as his face instantly flushed. A flabbergasted Jinyoung joyously laughed at his response and pinched his sides playfully. The American giggled as he shied away from him and tried to capture his hands who started tickling him. Mark laughed uncontrollably and begged the other to stop. Eventually the younger did, and for a long second the Korean stopped all his actions just to stare at him and marvel at his exuberant beauty. Cheerfulness and Mark were a lovely mix. That pure and cozy atmosphere suited him. It was nice to hear Mark’s laugh and he felt like the happiest guy alive at that moment. He wished he could protect the older’s felicity for the rest of his days. He felt blessed for falling in love with someone like him. Jinyoung wasn’t scared of being caged or imprisoned anymore. He felt fulfilled and tightly secured in Mark’s arms. He felt free to feel and experience all kinds of emotions as he bathed in his lover’s presence. He wanted to show Mark the intensity of his love for him, in another level of intimacy, deeper.

“I love you.” Jinyoung whispered in his ear as his hands wandered between his lover’s legs and found the older’s manhood. Mark gasped when his lover licked his earlobe and continued. “But I haven’t loved all your holes tonight yet.”

“Are you sure you’re up for it?” Mark asked, locking eyes with him. He was hypnotized by his lover’s magnetic gaze. “I thought you would never ask.” He guided Jinyoung’s finger to his mouth, licking it thoroughly and then pressed the same finger to his entrance. The Korean could feel his length harden as he anticipated the moment that finger would be replaced by his dick.

“I promise to be gentler this time. I wanna make love to you, babe.” Jinyoung whispered softly as he climbed on top of the older again and positioned himself between his legs. The American felt his dick harden again.

“Do it, Nyoungie.” Mark replied sweetly as he caressed the beloved face above him. “I love you so much.” He whispered, and Jinyoung slowly captured his lips and massaged them with his. Their skins tingled, electrified as Jinyoung pressed their bodies together, increasing the friction and stimulating their obvious new arousal. Mark left nail scratches along his back as Jinyoung started grinding his hips against him. The friction was driving him crazy, and the paced but intense way Jinyoung kissed him, already made his toes curl. Jinyoung could still feel the flavor of his own cum in Mark’s mouth and he was eager to shower his lover with more of him. It enticed him. He wanted his lover’s body to be smeared with his very essence, marked, claimed, branded, entirely his. He did not want any other scent or substance on that bed that wasn’t his and Mark’s.

“Mine.” Jinyoung whispered hotly in the older’s ear, as he coated his finger on the cum still present on the sheets. Mark’s semen was all over the bed due to his masturbation session from minutes ago. Jinyoung was glad his lover ejaculated on the sheets. He didn’t wanna disentangle himself from Mark just to look for a bottle of lube. He decided to prepare the American with his own seed. “Mine.” The Korean repeated one more time as he inserted a first finger inside Mark and started to stretch him. The latter squirmed with the sudden intrusion, but soon moved his hips to meet Jinyoung’s finger. The younger used a second finger to scissor his lover and impale him further as he distributed kisses and bites all over Mark’s neck and collarbone. The older moaned his name when he felt the Korean’s teeth graze his jawline and Adam’s apple. “Mine.” Jinyoung repeated as he bit down hard on the lower of his neck, removed his fingers from him and penetrated Mark’s hole with his dick in one single motion. The American wailed and groaned with pleasure. He sheathed his lover’s penis completely inside himself. Jinyoung raspy guttural groans were needy, yet he paused his movements as he felt Mark’s walls tightly wrap around him. He craved to endlessly thrust in and out of him, but he wanted his boyfriend to get used to the intrusion first. He had no desire of hurting him. He watched as Mark took deep breaths and rubbed his legs against his lover’s muscled thighs.

“Mine.” It was Mark who whimpered this time as he clutched the back of Jinyoung’s head and brought his face forward for a sensual kiss. Mark squeezed his ass, signaling the younger to start moving. Only then, the Korean started to slowly hammer into him. They both found a euphoric pace that favored both of them. Waves of pleasure consumed their bodies as Jinyoung lifted one of Mark’s leg over his shoulder and frantically pummeled inside him, deepening the angle of penetration. The older bucked his hips to receive his unsteady thrusts. His urgent moans filled the room when the Korean’s dick brushed his prostrate. Jinyoung brought both Mark’s hands over his head and kissed him sloppily, devouring his cries with his mouth. He held the older’s hips in a bruising grip as he roughly slid in and out of him. As Jinyoung started pumping Mark’s erection faster, the American could already feel Jinyoung dripping inside his hole. The younger was coming hard as he convulsed and rode his orgasm inside him. His gaze bored into his own. Jinyoung’s sexual noises filled his ears, making all the hairs of his body stand up. The American boy fed on the spreading warmth inside him. Tiny aftershocks quaked through him, as their ecstasy blended together. When Mark felt his lover come one more time inside him that night, and his hard length tease that magical spot inside him again, his body immediately reacted to it. He screamed in pleasure as he reached his climax seconds after his lover, shooting his seed all over Jinyoung’s hand and stomach. The singer didn’t release his dick till it was completely limp in his strong hold. The panting American struggled to regain his breath, as an exhausted Jinyoung collapsed against him one more time. His arms draped over the younger’s shoulders as their hearts beat as one. Jinyoung nuzzled his neck as he pulled out of him, making his lover gasp with the sticky emptiness his cock left inside him.

“I love you.” Jinyoung said sweetly as he kissed his forehead and laid beside him. Mark was already half-sleep when he muttered a lazily ‘I love you too’. Soon his back was snug against Jinyoung’s front and the younger’s loving arms were secured around his slim waist. When Jinyoung covered their naked sweaty bodies with the bed sheets and finally closed his eyes, he realized he had never been that joyful before. He felt grateful for having met the American and he knew at that moment he couldn’t live without him anymore. A peaceful feeling of sacred balance settled in his soul and mind as he drifted off to sleep.

The Korean opened his eyes again when he felt a weight depress the mattress on his side of the bed. It was already morning and he was aware that his lover was still deep asleep on his left side, so he yawned and adjusted his vision to check what had crawled on his right side of the bed. He was startled when he realized that his twin was sitting on the edge of his bed, observing him with a distant look.

“Jaebeom, what the fuck?!” A wide-eyed Jinyoung quickly sat up with a jolt on the bed and disconcertedly slipped his arm off Mark’s waist. JB muffled his chuckle as he watched his embarrassed little brother carefully pull the covers further over Mark’s body, hiding his exposed tattoos and the hickeys he had left all over his lover’s neck and chest.

“The whole dorm heard you two last night. You made a mess of him.” JB grinned, his voice was almost a whisper. Jinyoung gave him a dirty look and unwillingly eased his body to the edge of the bed.

Minutes earlier, when Jaebeom entered their room, he was about to yell at his twin to get up from the bed. Yet, as soon as his eyes lingered on the scene before him, he didn’t feel like disturbing the loving couple. The pair’s embrace was intimate and cozy. It spoke of a tenderness level many lovers hoped to achieve. JB suddenly felt like an intruder, but he still sat on the edge of the bed and studied them. He searched inside himself why he wished he hadn’t entered that room and he was relieved to realize that it wasn’t jealousy eating at him. He just felt like a third wheel in that MarkJin room.

“What the heck are you doing here? Don’t you know how to knock? Can’t you give us some privacy?” The young Lim gritted his teeth, also trying his best to keep his voice down. He didn’t want to disturb his boyfriend’s sleep. JB dismissed his morning hostility with a wave of his hand.

“I came to wake you up. Our manager is downstairs. We have a TV series to film, remember? And our grandpa is part of the cast too. He’ll notice if we arrive late at the studio.” JB raised an eyebrow at him and then he glanced at the sleeping body next to him. “Time to kiss the sleeping beauty goodbye.”

“Will you please leave? I need to get dressed!” Jinyoung said in an annoyed tone as he placed a hand on Jaebeom’s chin, making his brother tear his eyes away from the American and face him. “What the fuck are you looking at?”

“My God. I just glanced at him, don’t be fucking paranoid.” JB pushed his hand away from his jaw and eyed him in disbelief. “I’m not checking him out or anything. Shouldn’t he be at school at this hour?”

“Get out. I’ll be ready in a few.” Jinyoung whispered, but his tone was firmer now. JB rolled his eyes at him and stood up.

“After the mind-blowing makeup sex, I believe you are staying with us, right? So, are you guys okay now? Is there anything I should be worrying about?” A sympathetic Jaebeom frowned at his brother, truly hoping that the two were able to fix their problems.

“I appreciate your concern, but we’re fine. Just go.” Jinyoung asserted impatiently as he glared at him. When the other sighed, crossed his arms and was about to leave, the young Lim pointed to Jaebeom’s unbuttoned shirt and added, “You might wanna put some make-up on those things. We don’t want the people at the studio gossiping about the hickeys Youngjae gave you last night.” Jinyoung smirked devilishly as the other furrowed his brows and quickly walked in front of a large mirror on the corner of the room just to examine the imprints of his lover on his neck and collarbone. Jaebeom huffed a laugh as he ran his fingers along the bite marks his boyfriend left on his skin.

“I guess you and Jae have something in common.” JB commented casually.

“And what is that?” Jinyoung asked intrigued, cocking his head to the side.

“You’re both territorial.”

“Well, I heard the directors will be filming a kiss scene between you and Kang Sora on the studio today. Can’t blame the kid.” Jinyoung said with a shrug.

“It’s a harmless kiss on the cheek. I’m sure Jae won’t bother about that.” Jaebeom threw his arms, and added in a malicious tone. “We both know who’s the one that has the hots for her.”

“That was a long time ago. Everybody has an actress crush when they’re growing up.” Jinyoung rolled his eyes.

“Not me.” JB winked at him and finally left the room. When Jinyoung thought he had finally got rid of him, his brother proved him wrong. “I made you both breakfast, hurry up.” He shouted through the door. His purposefully loud voice was enough to wake Mark up. The Korean cursed under his breath when the American stirred and opened his eyes.

“Did I hear the word breakfast? I’m famished.” Mark whispered as he kissed Jinyoung’s cheek. The Korean thought of waking him a in a more romantic way, but his foolish twin had just ruined his plans.

“How are you feeling?” He asked sweetly as he caressed the older’s face.

“Glad to wake up by your side.” Mark beamed at the Korean, whose heart fluttered in his chest. When the American moved on the bed to sit up, the pain on his back reminded him of last night activities and he couldn’t help but voice his discomfort. “I’m a bit sore though.”

“Sorry, babe.” Jinyoung gave him an apologetic look and continued. “I guess I got a little too excited last night. I guess I wanted us to make up for the lost time. It’s been a while since we have gotten a chance to be alone. You have to agree that we really needed to catch up on sex.” The younger’s sorry expression turned into a suggestive smirk. “Do you want me to give you a massage?” the way his hands suddenly travelled up to the older’s tight and rested on his ass, made Mark pull away from him with a squeal.

“No way, Park Lim Jinyoung. You’re not touching this ass today. It does need a break, you know? Besides, I have a tight schedule ahead of me. In fact, I should be already at school.” The American complained as he glanced at the clock on the wall. Jinyoung eyed him with worry and reached for Mark’s shoulder just to plant a brief kiss on it. The older didn’t push him away this time.

“Is that bad? Will you be able to attend dance lessons later at the company? I can talk to your manager and come up with an excuse to keep you away from any strenuous exercises today. I’ll tell him you are feeling a bit under the weather. I can convince him to let you stay here and rest.” Jinyoung suggested, while he ran a hand through the older’s hair.

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not like I didn’t have your dick up my ass before. I’m fine.” Mark assured him with a grin. “Besides, I was sexually deprived too, you know? I missed you inside me.” The American confessed, as he closed the distance between them and brought their lips together. The kiss was breathtaking, even with the flavor of their morning breaths.

“Fuck, I wish we didn’t have to leave this bed ever again.” The Korean said stubbornly right after he released his lover’s lips. He couldn’t help but sigh with frustration, as he finally got up from the bed and started getting dressed. Mark chuckled at his grumpiness and enjoyed the view. He would never get tired of admiring his boyfriend firm peach, chiseled pecs and his perfect dick, of course.

“I also hate the fact that I have to be away from you all day, Nyoungie. I have to be at Kirin High every morning, I have to be at the company in the afternoon and evening. You also have your private classes, and now this TV series to film. But remember, now that you are living here, we can always come home to each other at the end of the day. The nights are ours, no one can take that away from us.” Mark consoled him with a smile.

“So, it’s official then? I get to sleep and wake up every day by your side?” Jinyoung suddenly sounded anxious. He stared at his lover expectantly as he waited for his answer.

“Unless you don’t want to. I can always go back to being Jackson’s roommate if you’d rather have a room for yourself.” Mark frowned at him. He wondered how the younger could still doubt his resolution. Dorine’s coma would not interfere in their relationship. He was convinced of it, he just hoped the Korean understood that too.

“No! Never again. You are my roommate now, my boyfriend, my life, my everything.” Jinyoung said quickly as he finished getting dressed. “Put something on, let’s have breakfast together.” He approached the bed again, gave Mark a peck and left the room. Excited to join his boyfriend at the table before he could leave the dorm, the American hurriedly picked up his boxers from the floor, put it on and walked out of the room. He regretted not putting on his sweatpants as soon as he met the twins’ stunned eyes. They were both at the kitchen table when a half-naked Mark appeared before them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a double update...Who missed some Markjin smut?XD


	51. I love It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yet he was jealous, though he did not show it, for jealousy dislikes the world to know it.”  
> ― Lord Byron

“Good morning, hyung.” Jaebeom said awkwardly, as he glued his eyes to the egg fried rice he was eating. He had seen Mark naked before and he had liked what he had seen, a lot. The American was still attractive, no doubt, however, things were different now. They were different. Mark wasn’t the innocent virgin bunny JB wanted to protect from the world anymore. Neither was JB the heartbroken and confused boy who thought he was falling in love for his rebellious stepbrother. Jaebeom was back with Youngjae, and Mark was dating Jinyoung.

“Morning.” Mark replied a bit embarrassed as he crossed his arms to cover a bit of his nudity and added, “I didn’t know you were still here. I should put something on.” The American could feel Jinyoung’s burning glare on him.

“Nonsense. I finished my breakfast. I’ll wait downstairs with our manager. You guys enjoy the food. Don’t take too long, Jin.” Jaebeom announced as he exited the kitchen. The couple eyed him uncomfortably as he picked up his backpack from the sofa and walked out of the place.

“Jesus Christ, Mark! When I ask you to put something on, just don’t fucking show up on your boxers!” the Korean exclaimed, giving the older an accusing look.

“Hey, relax! It’s nothing JB hadn’t seen before. We shared a room at the house, remember?” Mark regretted his words the moment they left his mouth.

“Exactly! You even showered together once! He gave you a blowjob, right? You guys even made out on the floor of my grandfather’s mansion! And if it wasn’t for JB’s allergy to virginity, you guys would have fucked the moment you stepped foot on the Lim’s residence!” Jinyoung raised his voice, obviously irritated.

“You listen to me, Jinyoung! Since the seven of us will be living under the same roof now, I should clarify some things to you. I will not walk around the place I live dressed like a nun. You will not dictate what I wear, nor will I allow you to make me feel bad for situations like this. We are all guys here, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t feel comfortable around each other. It’s fucking summer and I shall wear shorts, or whatever the hell if I feel like wearing. It’s time you get used to see me exposing some skin in front of other people. And it’s about time you fix your jealousy problem. What I had with your brother is in the past. He moved on, and so did I, now it’s your turn to grow the fuck up!” Mark stated, standing his ground.

“You saw his face! Do you think he’ll ever feel comfortable seeing you like this? What if Jae was here? How do you think that kid would feel? I am jealous because I have a reason to be jealous. What the fuck, Mark! Did you realize we’ll be living with two exes of yours? Can’t you put yourself in my shoes?” Jinyoung eyed him in disbelief, wondering why his boyfriend refused to understand his point of view.

“The fuck you’re talking about?! Jae is not a jealous maniac like you! Besides, I never dated JB. He’s not my ex. And if the second ex you’re talking about is Jackson, well forget about him too. That was not a proper relationship and you know that! That fucked up throuple arrangement was your idea, remember?”

“Exactly! And you agreed to it, remember? You didn’t think our arrangement was so fucked up back then! You didn’t complain when my best friend whispered some Mandarin shit in your ear and shoved his dick inside you! You didn’t complain when I had to watch you moan and squirm like a little bitch when he made you come! And I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have complained if he and I fucked your ass at the same time!” Jinyoung spat angrily. Mark couldn’t believe his own ears. He wondered why that morning turned out that bad.

“And whose fault is that?! Huh? You didn’t even have the balls to tell me how you felt about me! You treated me like shit, like a fucking object! While Jack tried to bring some normalcy to that relationship, you often made me think that I didn’t matter to you as a person, or that you only enjoyed my body. I just got into that stupid throuple thing because I was in love with you. I wasn’t sure at the time, but I know that now. And yes, I slept with Jack, why not? Isn’t that what you wanted us to do? Your rules, right? You decided to share me with him. Why should I refuse your freakin’ handsome best friend?! He gave me pleasure, he comforted me, he cared for me! He made my heart beat faster at some point, because he was never afraid to tell me how he really felt about me, he treasured me, he saw me. He loved me in a way that perhaps you never will.” Mark said harshly, trying to fight back his tears.

“You don’t mean that.” Jinyoung’s eyes shone with disappointment.

“Look...Maybe this is too soon. Maybe we should postpone our happily ever after for now. We clearly have shit to work out.” Mark shook his head in dismay. Already regretting ever leaving that room.

“Mark, don’t. Please, don’t.” The Korean’s pleading voice was cracking. His heart was shattering as he came closer to the older. When he tried to touch him, Mark flinched.

“I’m not kicking you out. I’m just saying you should sleep by yourself. I’m sharing a room with Jack. I don’t care if it bothers you. You’re gonna have to learn how to trust me in a way or another. If you really think you have a reason to be jealous of me and your best friend, that’s your problem, not mine. You will have to suck it up and deal with it.” The American stated coldly.

“No, baby. Please don’t do that. Why are you doing this to us? We were so happy a few minutes ago.” Jinyoung pleaded, as he tried to reason with the older.

“We can continue being happy Jinyoung, when we get this jealousy of yours out of the way.” The older asserted. He thought that sleeping in separated rooms would be a good opportunity to show his boyfriend that even if they didn’t share the same bed, he was the only one in his heart.

“Are we boyfriends or not?” The conflicted Korean asked impatiently.

“Of course we are!” Mark yelled now, the stupidity of the question unnerved him. How could Jinyoung not understand how inconvenient were his insecurities? He wanted to beat some sense into his lover, but he took a step back when the Korean reached for his arm.

“Don’t you love me?” Jinyoung asked in despair.

“I do fucking love you, with all my heart. Only you and no one else.” Mark stared deep into his eyes when he said the words. The Korean didn’t doubt his feelings, but he was hurt by his attitude.

“You’re not making any sense. You don’t wanna be my bedfellow and you don’t let me touch you. Don’t you think you’re going too far just to each me a fucking lesson?” the younger decided to give him some space and took a step away from him.

“I’m not punishing you or anything. I just don’t wanna be touched right now.” Mark sighed. “This will be good for us, you’ll see. Go to work. You’re gonna be late. Stop making others wait for you.”

“Very well, you do as you please, Mark. If you wanna be Jackson’s bunkmate forever, suit yourself. I’m sorry I took so long to say that I loved you. I’m sorry I wasn’t faster than him. But know that once I said it, I’ll never take it back.” Jinyoung gave one last glance in his direction and slammed the door behind him as he left the dorm. Only then, Mark sat on the kitchen table and started eating the plate Jaebeom made for him. He felt pathetic sitting there on his boxers and crying like a little baby. He wondered how was it possible for someone to make him feel amazing in a second and like an asshole in the next. He hated fighting with Jinyoung. He didn’t mean to say all those things and bring up those issues from their past. Yet, he managed to ruin that ne phase that was starting for them.

The American finished his egg-fried rice, took a shower and got ready for school. He knew he was late for classes, but being the stepson of Kirin High had its perks. He felt like a hypocrite to take advantage of that, but his teachers mostly overlooked his lateness because they knew about Dorine’s condition. The whole faculty missed the guide counselor of Kirin High, and they were usually sympathetic towards Mark. He wouldn’t complain about that either.

At lunch break, he met his friends at the school cafeteria. Got4 looked hungover, except for Choi Youngjae, who seemed brighter than the other three.

“Hey there, sweetheart! I’m surprised you are able to walk. I guess MarkJin is finally back together, right? I mean, we all heard you last night.” Jackson said lazily as he rested his chin on the table and massaged his temples.

“Hum.” Mark muttered quietly, as the maknaes frowned at him.

“You don’t look very enthusiastic. Something wrong?” Yugyeom asked, studying the downhearted expression on his hyung’s features.

“We had an argument this morning. It was silly, not a big deal. It will be okay.” Mark sighed hopelessly.

“What did he do this time?” Bambam gave him a knowing look. “Let me guess, his jealousy is getting the best of you already?”

“That’s very accurate of you, Bam.” The American said, as he sighed one more time.

“Jaebeom told me you guys had an awkward breakfast this morning. He texted me and swore to me that he did his best not look at the sight of his half-naked stepbrother in our kitchen.” Youngjae commented casually and huffed. “He also informed me that Jinyoung would certainly be cranky the whole day and blame him for it.”

“You and JB are such loyal boyfriends! He probably reported to you before Jin started putting doubts in your head. Geez, I wonder how I’ll be able to survive in that dorm with two lovey-dovey couples around me and Jinyoung’s eventual jealous psychotic episodes.” Jackson complained as he shook his head at him and then at the American.

“It’s not like you’re single or anything. Come on, everybody knows you and Eric are seeing each other, even though your friends do not approve.” Yugyeom reminded him quickly.

“So you guys knew that already? Interesting.” A displeased Mark commented as he raised an eyebrow at the Hongkonger.

“Don’t start, okay? Jin already made clear that Eric is a persona non-grata at the dorm. That means, he and I can only enjoy some private time together if we go to his house or a hotel. How is that fair? I’ll have a room for myself and I won’t even be able to make a proper use of it.” Jackson complained and pouted.

“You won’t have a room for yourself. I’m still gonna be your roommate. Nyoungie needs his space to study and focus on his debut. I don’t wanna be a distraction whenever he tries to memorize his lines for some acting role, or whenever he needs to compose a song or do his homework.” Mark lied about the reasons he wanted to share a room with the Hongkonger, hoping that his statement wouldn’t raise many questions from the others.

“Are you completely insane? Is Jinyoung okay with that?” Bambam eyed him in disbelief. The American just nodded to him. Yugyeom and Youngjae didn’t look convinced either.

“Yi-En there are four rooms in that fucking dorm. Why the hell you are going to be my roommate when your boyfriend will be sleeping in a room by himself right next to ours? It sounds to me you’re asking for trouble.” A serious Jackson spoke suddenly in Mandarin. He usually did that when he lost his cool, and Mark knew it. His hungover seemed to be forgotten as his expression changed and he stared hard at the American’s eyes. The older swallowed. However, before he could say anything in his defense, Youngjae’s phone buzzed on their table. The teenager ignored the tension between the two foreigners beside him and checked his phone.

“Oh, look! JB sent me some pics of the studio they’re filming the KBS TV series.” Youngjae said enthusiastically as he showed the group some of the images. Got4 automatically surrounded him to have a better look at the shots. In the pictures, the teenagers could recognize some celebrities on the background, but it was an specific image that caught Mark’s eyes.

“Who’s that beside Jinyoung?” The American asked as he pointed to a smiling girl who seemed too comfortable next to his seemingly unaffected boyfriend. She cutely pulled her thumb over to her index finger making both fingers look like a heart.

“Oh, man. That’s Jo Eun-jung showing a finger heart to Jinyoung hyung. He never mentioned he was working with her. I mean, I didn’t even know she was back in Seoul. I guess she’s still into him.” The maknae said carelessly. He blinked multiple times confusedly when Youngjae elbowed his shoulder. When Jackson made a face at him, he realized what he had done.

“She’s a former student of Kirin High. Dropped out of school to study acting full time. She’s part of the cast of _Dream High 2_.” Youngjae explained briefly to the puzzled American.

“How do they know each other? Are they close? What do you mean she’s still into him?” Mark demanded, as he dismissed Youngjae’s vague words and frowned at Yugyeom. The younger looked cornered, so the Thai boy next to him clarified the situation to the older.

“She’s from a family of actors. Her grandfather is also a film producer and he’s close friends with JYP. They went to college together or something. Actually, Eun-jung had a crush on Jinyoung when she studied here, until her parents sent her to study overseas. She promised to marry Jinyoung when she returned to Korea. He never took her seriously, though. However, Jiyeong Park and her mother were good friends too and they supported Eun-Jung’s premature idea of marriage. But that was two years ago. They’re not kids anymore and a lot has changed.” Bambam spilled the beans. He was never one to hold back information from his friends, and he wouldn’t start doing that now.

“Is Jinyoung bi? Jackson did you know about this girl?” Mark looked upset as he glared at the Hongkonger.

“No, Jin is not bi. And yes, I know about her role in the cast. Jinyoung told me not to mention anything to you. So I didn’t. He says she’s not important, and I believe him. You, as his boyfriend should do the same.” Jackson said at once. Mark was speechless, for a long minute. He promised himself he wouldn’t get jealous, after all she was a girl, and Jinyoung loved him, but it still bothered him the fact that the young Lim never mentioned her to before.

“Don’t feel threatened, Mark hyung. It’s not like the old JYP will arrange his grandson’s marriage with her. I mean, he plans to make JJ Project big stars and idols do not get into relationships.” Yugyeom tried to console his hyung.

“I am in a relationship with Jin.” Mark reminded him dryly. “Don’t you think he’s taking this relationship seriously? Perhaps, he thinks this is just a temporary fling?” The American bit his lower lip. Jackson exhaled.

“Mark, there’s no way Jinyoung think like that. I never seen him so smitten with someone like he’s with you.” Youngjae assured him, hoping to calm him down.

“Smitten? Shit, please say you meant ‘in love’! I mean, that’s a better term for it. It sounds more real, don’t you think?” Mark’s nervousness increased by the minute.

“Hyung, the only girl I’ve ever seen Jinyoung compliment was Kang Sora. But she’s like 5 years older than him, so do not think that just because she’s the lead actress in this production he’ll start developing feelings for girls or something.” Yugyeom tried to make the American see clarity.

“Who the heck is Kang Sora?” Mark was genuinely worried now.

“YG, stop it man. You’re making things way worse than they already are.” Bambam scoffed.

“Do you know where this studio is?” Mark turned to Jackson, who immediately face-palmed himself.

“Are you going to make a fool out of yourself and make a scene at your boyfriend’s workplace?” Jackson’s eyes bore into him as he continued. “You’re better than that, Mark. Don’t make me accuse you of the same erratic behavior of your jealous boyfriend. Hypocrisy is beneath you.” Jackson said firmly and the American swallowed.

“Sorry.” Mark mumbled, as he looked away.

“Are you still rooming with me?” Jackson asked, still suspicious of his decision.

“Yeah. Of course.” Mark said simply. The Hongkonger snorted.

“What if I don’t want to? Don’t I get a say in this? I mean, Jin will pester me around-”

“Don’t worry about Jinyoung. Our relationship is stronger than ever.” Mark added quickly. “I already told him this morning about this arrangement. You don’t have to be so stressed. Unless you are the one who has a problem being in the same room with me.”

“Whatever, Mark.” Jackson muttered, as he cast his eyes down.

“That’s brave of you, hyung. I mean, I would sleep with Jaebeom every single night if I sensed any sort of competition around me. I would make sure everyone knows he’s taken.” Youngjae said casually. The whole table was taken aback by his comment. The bell rang indicating that they had to return to their classrooms. Got5 silently left the cafeteria, but Mark was the only one who walked away with a heavy heart. He didn’t really know what to think about Jo Eun-jung, but he didn’t need to be a genius to guess why JYP purposely put Jinyoung and her in the same TV series that he himself was the creative director. The scheming old man certainly had future plans for the pair, and Mark feared that, perhaps, the CEO never had the intention of letting his grandson live happily ever after with his boyfriend under the same roof.

When school was over, Mark stopped by the hospital to see his mother. As he expected, Mr. Lim was there.

“Hey, son! How was school?” Taek-geun gave Mark a hug. The American was never the hugging type, but he had already got used to his stepfather’s habits. He didn’t mind it, he just hugged the man back.

“Okay, I guess. How was your day?”

“A bit uneventful. I just read to your mom one of Jiyeong’s favorites, _Autobiography of Death_. Not sure Dorine like the poems though.” The principal said, as he held up a book and showed the teenager its cover. Mark recognized it, he had read some of it to Jinyoung at the school library when the young Lim was still teaching him Korean. He remembered how a sad Jinyoung cried in the occasion.

“The title fits the mood.” Mark commented sourly.

“Kid, she’s not dead.” Mr. Lim started, he could tell Mark sounded more dispirited than usual.

“No, I like to think she’s undead. By the way, as far as I know she’s not fond of poetry at all. You’re wasting your time, and so am I.” The teenager said as he ran an impatient hand through his hair.

“I believe Jinyoung told you about the dinner already. That’s why you’re behaving like this?” Mr. eyed him worriedly.

“What dinner?!” Mark raised his voice this time. He wondered how many bad news he could take in a single day. He already hated the fact that Jinyoung kept him in the dark about his co-star. He hoped that as soon as his boyfriend returned to the dorm he could explain to him what was going on.

“JYP sent me an invitation. There will be a dinner at the mansion. He said I should be there since I am Jinyoung’s father. He didn’t say anything else. I asked Jinyoung what his grandfather could be possibly planning this time and my son just told me that the Jos were invited too. It’s a family the Parks used to be friends with. He never mentioned Jo Eun-jung to you?”

“No. Nevertheless, rumor has it that he is supposed to be his future wife or something. Am I right?” Mark asked annoyed. The principal couldn’t help but laugh at his comment.

“Oh please, kid! You do know that sounds hilarious, don’t you? JYP could never convince my son to get married to a young lady, even if she’s the heiress of Jo Entertainment Corp.. Jinyoung’s gay, right? You outed him to me, remember? Plus, they are too young. My late ex-wife used to joke around about that, she liked that girl a lot. But we never believed in arranged marriages. We used to attend boring dinners at the Jos’ place. JYP and the old Jo would talk about a merger company, you know, a fusion of JYP Entertainment and Jo Entertainment Corp., but the two chairmen never got to do business together. Those gatherings were extremely futile and purposeless. Rich people do that a lot. Meaningless social interactions, just to show off how much they can spend in a single evening.”

“So if her parents propose some sort of commitment between their daughter and Jinyoung you’ll be against it, right?” the teenager asked, squinting his eyes at his stepfather.

“They won’t, Mark. But if it makes you feel better, my answer is no to any kind of arrangement of that nature. Now that I know both the twins are in happy relationships, I have no intention of interfering in their love life, and I’m sure that if their mother was still alive, she would tell you the same.” Mr. Lim’s words comforted his disquieted heart. The teenager wondered how that man often had that effect on him. Taek-geun should be Kirin High’s counselor, instead of his mother.

“Thanks.” The teenager said, feeling lighter. “I guess I’m just a bit anxious now that he’s moving in.” Mark suddenly realized he didn’t have a reason to get so worked up. His stepfather gave him an understanding smile when a sigh of relief escaped the boy’s lips.

“You should know better than anyone that no one can force Jinyoung to do something he doesn’t want to.” Mr. Lim gave him a reassuring look and changed the subject. “By the way, I’m planning to visit this new dorm soon. See how you’re guys are settling in. Last time I talked to Jaebeom, he was delighted to leave the mansion. I’m sure Jin is just as euphoric as his brother.” The principal added and Mark faintly nodded.

The American stayed a bit more. He chatted with Dorine, the trio watched TV, and then Mark returned to the company. He met Got4 there. Practice was going on smoothly, but he often checked his watch, just to know how much longer it would take him to see Jinyoung back at the dorm. He felt that he only needed to hold him in his arms to have the assurance that he needed. Later that evening, Bambam, Youngjae, and Yugyeom finished their lessons scheduled for the day while Jackson and Mark had to stay back to do some extra training. Their Martial arts master made them stay a couple of more hours to practice some high-risk flips. Due to a bad landing, Jackson almost sustained a serious arm injury. They were about to die of exhaustion when they were finally allowed to go home.

As soon as they entered the dorm, the pair could hear excited chatting coming from the living room. Got5 did not even realize they were back when they stepped into the back of the room. The two foreigners stared in shock as a girl about their age, sat on their couch and ate some snacks with their friends. She seemed to be showing them a photo album, and the teenagers looked totally engrossed in the pictures and what she had to say about them. Mark couldn’t help but clear his throat in order to get the group’s attention. Immediately, curious eyes landed on them.

“Nice to see you again Eun Jung-ah!” Jackson said out loud and the young female promptly got up from the couch and walked excitedly in his direction to give him a hug. The Hongkonger managed to hug her back awkwardly, but he flinched away from her hold when she touched his upper arm.

“Oopsie, I’m sorry, Jia Er oppa. Are you hurt or something?” she asked in an apologetic manner as she slowly released him. Within a second, the others too approached the Jackson.

“What is it? Did you pull a muscle? Do you need to see a doctor?” A suddenly concerned Jinyoung asked, as his motherly instincts kicked in. The American couldn’t help but smile at how carefully he came closer his friend and tenderly examined his arm.

“I guess it’s just a mild strain. It’ll be fine as soon as I apply some ice on it.” The Hongkonger said quickly, as the young Lim sighed in frustration.

“Fucking JYPE, always working trainees to death! Grandfather will hear about this.” Jaebeom exclaimed, looking low-key mad as he folded his arms across his chest.

“Hey, man, there’s no need to involve the old man in this. Don’t get your knickers in a twist, I said it’s fine. I shall pay more attention to the MAT classes in the future.” Jackson gave him a reassuring look.

“Mark, did you see what happened?” An attentive Bambam turned to the quiet American. Yugyeom eyed the American expectantly.

“A landing gone wrong. He might pretend it’s not a big deal, but it took him some time to get up from the floor after that one.” Mark replied bluntly and he could already feel the Hongkonger’s disapproving gaze on him.

“Are you sure it’s not broken? We should take him to a hospital just to make sure it’s nothing serious.” Youngjae wisely suggested as he turned to JB, and it didn’t take long for his boyfriend to nod to him and grab his car keys.

“Guys, just chill, okay? After some compression, ice packs and a pain reliever I’ll be as good as new. I’ll promise to have it looked if the swelling doesn’t go away.” Jackson held up a hand in front of JB to stop him. “How about taking Eun Jung home, huh? It’s late and her parents might worry.”

“They know I’m here with the Park twins. They really don’t mind it.” The girl said quickly, but Mark intervened.

“Jo Eun Jung, am I right? We haven’t been properly introduced. I am Mark Tuan, Jinnie and Beomie’s stepbrother. It’s been a long day for all of us, you see, we usually have a tight weekly schedule. I’m sure that my dongsaengs and I would love to have you here the whole night, but as trainees, we do need to maintain healthy sleep habits, like setting a consistent bedtime schedule. We do need our beauty sleep in order to melt our fans heart in the future. Is it okay if JB drive you home for now?” Mark politeness was mesmerizing. His friends were speechless when he flashed the girl a breathtaking smile, making her gasp. Jaebeom swallowed, knowing that Mark’s strategy to get rid of her had no chance of failing. Jinyoung grimaced as he watched the interaction between her and the American.

“I heard about you, Mark! But they didn’t warn me about your handsomeness. Nice to meet you. American, right?” she smiled shyly and extended a hand to him, expecting the older to shake it, in a western greeting way. However, Mark gracefully lifted her hand, brought it to his lips, and left a delicate kiss on it. Jinyoung made an uncomfortable noise behind her as he watched the scene. Eun Jung blushed and took her hand away embarrassedly.

“Well, I think Mark hyung has a point. We’ll have other opportunities to hang out, Noona.” A disconcerted Yugyeom commented, as he noticed the young Lim shooting daggers at Mark. He could tell that Jinyoung’s jealousy level was at its peak. His Thai friend seemed to notice that as well.

“Right! We had an awesome time since you so kindly decided to visit us this evening. But anyways, there’s an old proverb that says, all good things must come to an end. So I guess it’s time to say good night.” Bambam smiled awkwardly.

“All right. Since the seven of you need some rest, I’ll just take my leave.” She announced a bit disappointed and continued. “Can Jinyoungie drive me home instead of Jaebeom oppa?” Eun Jung asked, as she batted her eyes at the young Lim. However, before Jinyoung could give her an answer, Jackson chimed in.

“Sorry, Eun Jung-ah! I’m gonna need Jin to help me in the shower. You know I can only trust him to look after me. Can you go with JB hyung?” The Hongkonger struggled to sound convincingly pitiful. And she fell for it.

“Aww, of course, oppa! I hope your arm gets better soon. I’ll leave you in good hands then.” She winked at him and turned to the others. “Good night, Got7!” Eun Jung said her goodbyes to everyone in the dorm and followed Jaebeom to the car. Youngjae decided to ride with them. JB eyed him with surprise but said nothing. When the three of them left, a long silence followed. The maknaes eyed each other worriedly while Mark and Jinyoung seemed to be having an endless staring contest. When Jackson groaned and walked in the direction of the bathroom, Jinyoung finally broke eye contact with the American.

“Do you still need that help in the shower?” Jinyoung’s eyes softened when he glanced at Jackson.

“That would be nice.” Jackson replied a bit uncertain, and the Korean promptly followed him to the bathroom without looking back. Mark bit his lower lip nervously as he watched the pair disappear from his view. He didn’t wanna imagine what the two would be doing in the shower. He was aware that Jackson was hurt, yet, he couldn’t help but wonder.

“What do you think of her?” Bambam asked out of the blue, interrupting Mark’s conflicting thoughts.

“What?” the older asked, still a bit distracted, as he eyed the bathroom door.

“Miss Jo Eun Jung, Jinyoung hyung’s future bride.” Yugyeom chuckled at the sudden bewildered expression on the American’s face. Bambam broke into a fit of laughter.

“Gyeom-ah! Don’t even joke about this shit.” Mark said exasperated. “I cannot believe he brought that girl here.”

“She invited herself here. She rarely asks permission to do stuff. That’s Eun Jung for you.” Yugyeom commented, as he brought his upset hyung to sit with them on the couch.

“You guys seemed pretty cozy around her. What did she want?” The American asked the youngsters, anguish etched in his features. He wondered what was taking so long for Jinyoung to leave the bathroom.

“Hang out with us, I guess. Or maybe, find out which one of the JYPE’s heirs are still available.” Bambam huffed a laugh. “Youngjae is not stupid. Why do you think he decided to ride with them? It’s obvious her choice is Jinyoung, but Jae won’t give her a chance to change her mind, he’s keeping JB on a short leash. Maybe you should do the same about Jinyoung.”

“Bam, stop. Mark hyung has no reason to feel threatened by her. Jinyoung hyung is dating him now.” Yugyeom insisted, as he patted the older on the back. Bambam frowned at his friends when Jackson and Jinyoung’s giggles in the bathroom could be heard from the living room. The maknae felt the American tense.

“If you guys excuse me, I’m gonna use the other bathroom. I need a fucking shower.” Mark stated as he stood up and walked away from the two.

“I guess he’s not the jealous type.” Bambam commented sarcastically as he yawned. “Jinyoung has started his mind games again. I’ve gotta admit it, he’s smart. The guy turned the tables just like that. I bet that within 24 hours he’ll make Mark regret sharing a room with Jack.”

“Jinyoung hyung is leading her on. She’s not the kind of girl who allows guys to play her. This won’t end up well.” Yugyeom stated, suddenly fearing for the stability of the MarkJin couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're all healthy fellow readers.  
> Take care!


	52. Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Whenever I feel your warmth, it seeps in silently   
> Into my empty heart, my mind, I fill them up with you  
> Every day used to be colorless (Every day)   
> Tomorrow will be dyed with you (Tomorrow)   
> Just like this, Dye with you..."
> 
> \- Not By the Moon, by Got7

Mark showered, put on some comfortable clothes and went to the kitchen to grab something to eat. Bambam and Yugyeom were still in the living room watching TV. Youngjae and Jaebeom were back after driving Jo Eun-jung home. They had been in their private world since they returned. Mark could hear a soothing piano sonata coming from their room. He wondered if they making love, or just enjoying each other's presence. Mark sighed in frustration. He could have that too with Jinyoung, but he let his temper ruin their interaction that morning and he had no idea if the young Lim was still mad at him. Mark wondered why he did not think that letting Jinyoung sleep by himself would bother him. Especially now, that he suddenly decided to be Jackson's private nurse. The pair was like Siamese twins since he and Jackson returned from their MAT practice.

  


After Mark showered and left the bedroom he was supposed to share with Jackson, he got a glimpse of what was going on in the Korean's room. Jackson was still there, he was wearing Jinyoung's clothes and they were on Jinyoung's bed engrossed in conversation. The American felt tempted to enter the room and join them, maybe ask about the Hongkonger's arm, try to fit in. Yet, he didn't. He just let them have their JinSon moment in peace. Mark knew deep down that their friendship was unrivaled. However, the fact that the duo was more than friends a while ago, disquieted him somehow. They weren't just comrades sharing a bed. They used to sleep together, and that simple fact increased the level of intimacy between them. Mark tried to think of something else as he peeled a banana and watched the maknaes laughing at some K-drama in the living room. He took uninterested bites of the fruit as his eyes often drifted to Jinyoung's door, which happened to be closed now.

  


It was already past 2 AM when Bambam and Yugyeom decided to call it a night and go to their rooms. The American took their place on the couch and tried to pay attention to a random movie that was on TV, but he couldn't. So he decided to check his cellphone, and see some YouTube videos, since he didn't feel like going to bed yet. Sleep was the last thing on his mind. After all, Jackson was still in Jinyoung's room, laying on his bed and wearing his clothes. Actually, Mark wondered if the Hongkonger still had any clothes on. The American wasn't only worried about what was going on in that room, a certain girl he had just met that night and her uncertain connection with the young Lim made him anxious. The fact that he didn’t know what were JY Park intention made his constantly made heart clench. He struggled to trust what Jackson had told him at the school cafeteria. Eun-jung was not important. Mark wanted to believe that and bury his jealousy somewhere in his soul, but that seemed a pretty difficult mission to accomplish at the moment. He didn't know if Jinyoung would cheat on him out of spite. He remembered how his boyfriend purposely brought Taehyung to Eric's party just to make him feel threatened and break up with Jackson. He couldn't help but think that Jinyoung could be manipulating him just like before. The Korean was a spectacular actor and he knew how to get what he wanted. He could use the girl, he could use Jackson, or some random stranger and God knows who else, just to make a point. Just to put the American on his shoes, giving him enough reasons to be insanely jealous. Mark suddenly felt like giving in. Yes, he was a hypocrite and he didn't want anyone near Jinyoung or his fucking bed. Jackson was technically Jinyoung's ex and Mark was not comfortable with the fact that they were in a room with the door closed. _Damn, Park Jinyoung_. The American felt like complimenting his boyfriend. The young Lim had won, one more time. Jealousy was the main reason of their stupid argument that morning, and Mark obviously regretted that idea of separate rooms right now. He should have handled Jinyoung's insecurities more properly. He understood why Jinyoung wasn't happy to see him shirtless in front of JB, or why he was totally against the idea of a MarkSon room.Mark couldn't bear the idea of a JinSon room either. Truth to be told, while Jinyoung felt like Jaebeom or Jackson could be a menace to their relationship, Mark felt the same about Jinyoung’s involvement with the Hongkonger and Eun-jung. He was already thinking of ways to seduceEun-jung just to make her forget Jinyoung. Because he couldn't bear the idea of a girl flashing a harmless heart finger to his boyfriend.Wow, they were like 2 peas in a pod. The American had suddenly realized that he was just as possessive of Jinyoung as Jinyoung was of him. Shit, that sure wasn't healthy. That shouldn't be happening.  


They were already in a relationship, and they were aware of their love for each other. They had some major issues in the beginning of their story, they had barely fixed them in the middle of it, and currently, they just ignored them. They were still stepbrothers, and Jinyoung was partially responsible for the fact that Dorine was in a hospital bed. She didn't approve their involvement before the accident, she certainly wouldn't approve it once she woke up. The Tuan family needed Mark in the US and he still didn't know what he would do about that. His aunt was looking after Raymond's business since Mark had to look after his mother, but he was not sure of how long the woman would be okay with their absence. He had a contract with JYPE, he had a family in South Korea too, much better than the one he had left in California, and leaving Jinyoung was not an option. Thousands of thoughts rushed through his head.

  


Mark was mentally worn out. He needed to get rid of some of that stress. He wished his body would simply give in to sleep. He suddenly envied his mother. Being in a coma sounded like a good thing right now. He craved for something that could knock him out, make him peacefully unconscious. His trainee lessons at JYPE that day were as rigorous as always, especially the MAT one, and he couldn't believe that his body still refused to surrender. It was already 4 AM. Soon he would have to get ready for school and that wouldn't be a good idea without getting a bit of sleep beforehand. He knew there was no alcohol in the dorm and it was too late to go out and buy some. He thought of taking a higher dosage of his CVS meds, but he didn’t want to mess with those, since he was symptom-free after such a dreadful period of his life.

  


“Hyung?” A voice interrupted Mark’s despairing thoughts. He turned around and saw Youngjae returning from the kitchen with a glass of water.

  


“Jae.” The American gave him a faint smile.

  


“You’re so quiet in there that I didn’t even notice you on the couch when I left the bedroom. What are you doing up so early in the morning? Couldn’t sleep?” the younger asked curiously as he approached the other in the living room.

  


“How was the drive back to Jo Eun-jung’s place?” Mark asked abruptly, lifting his eyes to meet his. Youngjae shook his head in frustration.

  


“Is that girl who’s keeping you up at night? Seriously?” the younger frowned and took a sit beside him.

  


“Be honest with me, you didn’t want JB to drive her home by himself because you know she’s trouble, right?” Mark raised an eyebrow at the younger, who sighed and the other took a sip of his water before answering him.

  


“I made a fool out of myself. I kissed Jaebeom in front of her. I told her we were dating, and she just laughed at me. She claimed that she already knew and that we looked like a cute couple. She wished us all the happiness in the world.”

  


“Why did you do that? I mean that was kinda bold of you.” Mark asked, clearly taken aback by his words.

  


“We dropped her in front of her house and she kissed him on the cheek just to thank him for the ride. I just thought, what Mark Tuan would do in a situation like this? So, I went for it. I shamelessly French kissed my boyfriend just to make a point. Jaebeomie was perplexed, but I could tell he enjoyed it. He loves when I take the lead in our relationship. He says it’s hot.” Youngjae said with a tiny smile on his lips. The American eyed him incredulously.

  


“Oh my God, that means you felt threatened by her too.” Mark concluded and exhaled.

“That means I’m ready to fight for the one I love.” Youngjae stated in a more serious tone. “They’re childhood friends, Mark. She’s pretty and rich. Rich families of Seoul are used to see marriage as a way to seal business deals. They make the right connections to keep their companies booming, to kill the competition. The old Park has been seeking to bring SM Entertainment down for a long time. JYP had expressed his desire to marry one of his heirs to Eun-jung before just to make that happen, perhaps he still does. I don’t know. I’m just making sure Jaebeom is not the one.” The younger grinned.

“Jae!” Mark gave him a light push and the younger simply rolled his eyes at him.

  


“Well, we both know Jinyoung is out of the market too, you just have to bring this little piece of information to her attention. There will be a dinner next week, and she invited us to come. According to her, there will be a big announcement at the occasion and she want her closest friends to be there. Eun-jung said you should come to, since you’re the twins’ stepbrother. You could use this opportunity, you know.” Youngjae said carelessly and shrugged.

  


“Well, it’s not like I can do the same thing you did. You don’t expect me start making out with Jin in the middle of this damn dinner. He’s still my fucking stepbrother, remember? Taek-geun will be there. He has given us his blessings, but it doesn’t mean he’ll be okay if I flaunt our relationship in front of the family Jiyeong Park used to be friends with.” The older explained in a distressed tone.

  


“Mark, the old you wouldn’t worry about people’s opinion-”

  


“Well, I’m not the old me, Jae. I still might be the worst son in the world for dating the guy who almost killed my fucking mother, but my relationship with my stepfather has changed and I respect him.” Mark retorted in an anguished tone. A wide-eyed Youngjae studied the American’s features closely.

  


“So, you do blame Jinyoung for your mother.” The younger commented, hoping that his hyung would not take his statement as an accusation. Mark gasped.

  


“No. I mean, I just…” Mark paused and bit his lip. He struggled to find a way to ponder his words. “Think about it, that’s exactly what Dorine will do when she wakes up. She’ll probably press charges and accuse him of attempted murder. Hell, she might even claim that I helped him push her down those stairs. I fucking killed my brother and father in a car accident back in LA, everybody will believe her.” He paused one more time and ran a nervous hand through his hair. Youngjae eyed him sympathetically when he took a deep breath and continued. “She loves to see me miserable. My mother didn’t approve my relationship with Jinyoung before, and after she wakes up, I know her opinion won’t change. As soon as that woman open her eyes, she’ll make our lives hell. She’ll force me to go back to the US with her, she can blackmail me into doing it. I can’t let Jin go to jail.” The American sounded conflicted as he looked away from the younger.

  


“That’s nonsense, stop borrowing trouble. She won’t dare to go that far. We were all there, we saw everything. You have seven witnesses who can affirm that what happened to your mom was an accident. Mark, we have your back! Everything will be fine, you are not alone. You won’t be alone ever again. Don’t concern yourself over such silly things. Besides, I’m sure Jinyoung would rather rot in jail than see you leave South Korea. He loves you dearly.” Youngjae said confidently as he put his glass of water on the center table.

  


“I love him too.” Mark confessed quietly.

  


“Then talk to him. Let him know about your fears, tell him how you feel about Eun-jung’s presence in his life for example, or how you feel about the prospect of having to deal with an angry Dorine once she wakes up. Let him comfort you, Mark. You shouldn’t keep things to yourself. JB and I talk all the time, we voice whatever is bothering us, we discuss it and solve our issues together. That habit makes our relationship stronger each day. I know communication is not your forte, but you gotta do it, in a way or another. Allow your boyfriend to listen to you. I’m sure that once you do, you’ll sleep like a newborn baby.” The younger’s suggestion made sense to Mark. Perhaps, all he and Jinyoung needed was to have a chat without aiming to attack each other. That talk of the previous morning had gone wrong and he knew he could have been less harsh with his boyfriend. After all, maybe all the Korean needed was some words of reassurance too.

  


“He’s sleeping with Jack in the other room.” Mark blurted out, as he crossed his arms.

  


“Well, you don’t have to wake him up, drag him out the room and make him listen to you now. There’s always a perfect time and place for things like that. Don’t be hasty. Just make sure this talk happens soon.” Youngjae advised him confidently.

“I just said that he and his ex are in the same fucking bed!” The American emphasized the last word.

“Oh, please! Sseunie’s arm is injured and Jin is just there by his side in case he needs help to go to the bathroom or something! They are very good friends, and they both love you. I’m sure that they are really just sleeping, there’s nothing else going on in there.” The younger defended the pair.

“When you say Jinyoungie might help him in the bathroom, what exactly do you mean? That he’s going to hold Jackson’s dick while he pees?” Mark questioned his dongsaeng with a puzzled and annoyed look on his face. Youngjae inhaled.

“Look, if you wanna go there and check on them, be my guest. Just do us all a favor and stop torturing Jack, okay? He’s clearly not comfortable with this idea of rooming with you now that Jinyoung is around. Just get out of there and join your boyfriend’s bed, as fast as you can. It’s clearly the best solution for both of you.” An impatient Youngjae grabbed his glass of water and stood up.

“You’re right. I’m being ridiculous. Thanks for the reality check. I guess sometimes I let my sick imagination get the best of me.” The American finally decided to relent. “I’m so lucky to have a wise dongsaeng to give me love advices. I owe you one, sunshine.” Mark winked at him playfully. The young Korean simply huffed a laugh.

“Anytime, hyung. Try to get some sleep, we gotta be at Kirin High in a few hours.” The younger suggested and after the other nodded at him, he returned to his room.

Mark took a deep breath and decided to go to the bed that he felt it was rightfully his too. He just needed to go to the bathroom and make some preparations first.

  


Jinyoung was deep asleep beside his injured best buddy for hours. His eyes shot open when he felt a firm hand on his waist. For a moment he thought he was dreaming, but when the same hands pulled his pajamas bottoms down to his knees in one single motion, he became alarmed and tried to turn around, but again, that same hand held him in place, and another came above his arm to cover his mouth. He became completely trapped when a leg circled both of his and imprisoned his lower body. He froze instead of struggling. He wanted to think that whatever was going was some sort of prank. He was laying on his side, and he could easily notice that Jackson was still asleep on the left side of the bed. He was aware that the foreigner could be faking it, he could’ve put one of the maknaes on a mission to come behind him and do that shit either to scare him or just piss him off. However, the Korean knew his friend would not pull something like that now. The Hongkonger would definitely not be in a playful mood after that MAT practice went wrong. Suddenly another thought assaulted his frantic mind. Perhaps, some crazy fan saw him on TV, broke into the dorm and planned to have his way with him. A muffled sound of protest escaped him when he felt an aggressive hard-on press against his butt cheeks. Only at that moment, he realized that person was completely naked. The young Lim was about to panic and bite that hand covering his mouth just to reach out for Jackson, or scream for help. However, the other strong and dominant hand that tightened on his hipbone seconds ago, delicately fluttered down his crotch and stroke him there. The slow sensual motion made his heart race in a good way. A relieved Jinyoung finally recognized the fine rhythm of those long fingers on his skin, and his body couldn’t help but quickly react to it. Every fiber of his being instantly yearned to dance to that familiar cadence. He immediately relaxed against his attacker, since he knew to whom belonged those legs and arms that were all over him. He purposely rubbed his ass against the aching boner behind him and the hand that covered his mouth soon retreated. Jinyoung didn’t turn around, he sneakily brought one of his hands between them and reached for the erection of his lover. He could almost picture the older’s face when he gave it a rough tug. The predictable tortured moan that filled the Korean’s ears made him smirk to himself.

“Don’t sound so desperate. You’re gonna wake Sseunah.” A pleased Jinyoung whispered, but his smirk was gone when he felt one of Mark’s legs come between his, pull his pajamas bottom lower and part his thighs far apart. Jinyoung sighed with anticipation. Within a second, he felt a lubed finger prod at his entrance and then massage it. He bit his lips to mute his groans when Mark spread kisses all over his back and nuzzled his neck seductively. When the American’s lips dangerously reached his earlobe and sucked on it, he struggled not to scream in pleasure. He knew that he was as hard as his boyfriend at that point.

“I’m addicted to your skin, Nyoungie. I want to dye you with me, I want to dye myself with you. I want us to be inside each other forever. I crave to fill your heart, mind and body with me so you can see, feel, hear and touch only me. I need you to love only me.” Mark whispered at his ear and started to push his length inside the compliant younger who wasn’t exactly ready for it, but didn’t complain. His boyfriend’s adamant hankering mirrored his perfectly. The Korean’s willing body was a like an open vessel for Mark to completely own and fill.

“Rip me open then.” A yielding Jinyoung muttered, as he closed his eyes and tried to get used to the raw agony ripping at his insides. The Korean always thought that Mark knew how to bottom like a champion, but as for topping, he did need some practice. The younger knew he needed more stretching and loads of lube to make the pain subside, but when Mark started to pull in and out of him, the words of protest refused to leave his mouth. He bit on his pillow to keep his groans from reaching Jackson’s ear. The older thrust in slow but deep, as Jinyoung dreaded and longed for each new impalement. Mark’s skillful hands caressed his chest and squeezed his nipples in order to relax him. Wet kisses and licks were delivered on the younger’s shoulder and back. Jinyoung guided Mark’s hands to his manhood, but his boyfriend didn’t seem to be in a hurry as he simply moved his hand back to his hips, and then to his butt cheeks, spreading them more, just to penetrate him deeper. The American strived to keep his moans down as he buried his nose against the nape of the younger’s neck, careful not to disturb the seemingly oblivious and asleep Hongkonger on the other side of the bed.

Mark’s intention was not to make the bed shake, he was eager to see Jinyoung quivering and thundering around him without an audience. He sought to mark him. He yearned to possess him inside and out. The Korean arched his back as the searing pain of flesh stretched beyond its limits was slowly replaced by increasing waves of pleasure that slowly radiated through the rest of his body. The younger screwed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth when he felt one of Mark’s hands stroke him in the same pace as the older thrust into him. Through the fog of his throbbing agony and growing arousal, Jinyoung could feel a blinding kind of rapture, around the edges, underneath his addictive ache. Mark’s energy and lust sang through him as the older reveled in his power over him. It didn’t take long for the older to ejaculate. Jinyoung bit his lip as he felt Mark’s warm seed invade him. His hand reached behind him pulling the American impossibly close to him. He wanted all of Mark’s semen secured inside his hole.

The older trembled, releasing his lover’s still hard cock and holding his hip to him in a bruising grip. Mark reached his climax with a delicious sigh against the Korean’s skin. A neglected Jinyoung wanted to stroke himself, since his boyfriend ceased his delightful hand job halfway. However, Mark’s hand stopped him from touching his own aching erection that begged for attention. Jinyoung carefully turned around to face the other. The movement forced his boyfriend’s limp cock to abruptly slip out of him. The Korean paused his motions at the sensation and closed his eyes a bit. He was a bit sore, but he already felt like putting his lover’s length inside him again. There was nothing better than topping Mark, but he would never get tired of bottoming for him. Changing their roles in bed once in a while, was sort of an adventurous experience for the younger. Jinyoung was an explorer, and he was always ready to try different things. Yet, right now he just wanted to get off.

The younger still had no idea why his boyfriend wasn’t jacking him off and he planned to find out why. He slowly managed to turn around and make eye contact with the older. Their eyes met for the first time since Mark sneakily entered his room and crawled into his bed. The faint moonlight outside their window was already giving room to the first rays of sunlight. Just like their love, the colors in the sky mingled, took many tones and alternated between moments of agonizing instability and perfect, blissful balance.

The American gazed at his lover with devotion. Jinyoung’s forehead was lightly sheened with sweat and his half-closed eyes offered him a question. Mark’s gentle smile was large and promising. The Korean was puzzled.

“Not sure if you noticed, but I haven’t come yet.” Jinyoung whined in a low tone.

“How about I take you for a ride?” Mark winked at him and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

“A what?” Jinyoung furrowed his eyebrows. It was too early in the morning and his mind was unable to process what the other meant. Therefore, he insisted, still trying to keep his voice down, “Babe, I’m fucking hard and I wanna come. Now!” The urgency of his words made Mark grin and quickly climb on top of him.

“Dye me with you.” The American said as he straddled Jinyoung, who gave him a confused look.

“Look, we don’t have much time. Jackson will be up soon, so whatever you plan to do-”

Jinyoung didn’t get to finish his sentence. He was cut off by his boyfriend’s motions. Mark lowered himself onto him and sat on his erection. The Korean gasped when he felt Marks walls surround his shaft. He held Mark’s hips firmly up before the older could descend on him completely and eyed him with alarm.

“It’s okay, Nyoungie. I took care of the stretching earlier. I came prepared, you’re not gonna hurt me.” Mark assured him as he leaned onto Jinyoung and whispered sweet nothings on his ear. A spasm of pleasure seized the younger as he pushed Mark down completely onto him and captured his lips. The kiss was deep and ardent. Mark moaned into it and started to move up and down slowly, trying to keep the bed from shaking. They eventually broke the kiss, and the younger couldn’t help but lick his lips as he stared at his boyfriend, in all his naked glory, mount his dick with satisfaction. The sight of the older playing cowboy on his saddle was enough to burn him up with lust. He often took glances at his side, making sure the Hongkonger was still out. He grunted and rose himself a bit to meet Mark’s strokes.

“Fuck, baby, I’m gonna come.” The Korean confessed, dazed by the sensation that started to overtake his body. He was about to climb his final peak when he heard his lover’s strained voice.

“Promise me there won’t be others. Not quite like this. Ever.” Mark said firmly as he buried his boyfriend’s cock even deeper inside him, then paused his movements. The last word came through clenched teeth. The possessiveness of his statement made the younger smirk.

“I promise.” He replied simply. He understood why Mark was acting like that. The events of the day before certainly played a role in his unusual domineering behavior. The Korean figured out that Got5 would have no qualms about describing to the American how Eun-jung was like. Jinyoung wondered what took the older so long to come crawling to his bed. He didn’t think Mark would ever admit he was jealous though.

“I mean it, Park Jinyoung. You’re mine. Wipe that fucking smirk from your lips and say it. Say it!” Mark raised his voice a little. His tone was commanding, his look was pleading and his hips were still not moving. The Korean looked a bit taken aback, but nodded to him.

“We found a way out of the madness of this world. I’m too busy being madly in love with you to ever consider anyone else. We created our own special kind of madness, and this one only involves you and I. We belong together. My eyes only see you and my heart is not mine anymore. I’m never letting you go, I’m yours and you’re mine. I love you Mark Tuan.” Jinyoung stated in a serious tone as his eyes shone with a familiar magnetic gleam, which the older knew very well. He trusted what he saw, heard and felt. Mark smiled at him brightly as he found that assurance he needed right there.

“Damn right.” The delighted American kissed him long and hard, laying his hands over his and interlacing their fingers. “I love you too.” He whispered wickedly sweet, and started to move again. His boyfriend was already too far gone and Mark only had to bounce twice on the Korean to make him come inside him. When Mark felt like he had thoroughly dyed himself with his lover, he disconnected their bodies and collapsed beside him. That position always tired him out. He knew that he ended up with a half erected penis after Jinyoung worked his magic inside him, but he was so exhausted that he just ignored his boner and got ready to sleep. He tugged the sheets over them as he watched the Korean try to recover from the orgasm that washed over him seconds ago. However, as soon as his eyes threatened to close, his boyfriend flipped on the bed, covering his body with his and bracing his elbows on each side of his head.

“Don’t you need a hand? You seem to have an unattended problem down there.” The younger gave him a suggestive look as he grinded against him.

“No. It will go away eventually. Honestly, I just need some sleep.” Mark whispered to him wearily as he finally felt sleep beg to take over him. Jinyoung frowned at him.

“Sleep? Babe, it’s time to wake up already. Soon, JB will be banging on my damn door.” The younger whispered back and gave him a peck on the lips. “Are you sure? I can be quick.”

“Thanks, but I’m fine. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I don’t think I’m going to school. I need to rest in order to survive practice later at the company.” Mark insisted, as he successfully escaped from the other. Jinyoung didn’t mind when the older gently pushed him away, making him climb off him.

“Are you okay? Why didn’t you get much sleep?” The Korean eyed him with genuine worry.

“You.” He replied tiredly.

“Me? Bullshit, you only got here a while ago. I mean, how long you’ve been lying next to me without saying anything?” Jinyoung furrowed his brows in confusion. Mark dismissed his question.

“Look, we have stuff to talk about. But not now, okay?” The American stated without much energy and gave him a brief kiss. An intrigued Jinyoung simply stared at him as Mark turned around, borrowed his pillow, closed his eyes and crawled further under the sheets.

“All right. I’m going to take a shower. Sleep tight, babe. See you in a bit.” A resigned Jinyoung announced quietly, as he leaned on him to kiss his forehead. Mark was already sound asleep when the younger pulled up his pajamas bottoms and carefully got up from the bed. However, someone else seemed to be fully awake on the other side of the bed. Jinyoung swallowed when his intense eyes coldly addressed his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What just happened? O.o  
> MarkJin talk is delayed one more time!XD


	53. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pull me with your sweet scent  
> Pulling me until I can't breathe  
> Gravity Gravity Gravity  
> That I can't escape  
> Gravity Gravity Gravity  
> My fate which has fallen onto your hands
> 
> ~Gravity, by Choi Young Jae

“Have you told him?” The Hongkonger looked extremely upset as he stared at his friend.

“Tell him what exactly, Jackson?” Jinyoung frowned, as he crossed his arms. The moment an exasperated Jackson got up from the bed earlier and dragged him to the bathroom, the Korean knew he had done something wrong, he just didn’t know what. He wondered if Jackson had watched him having sex with Mark at some point.

“Well, the promise you made to Jo Eun-jung, for example? I mean, have you even told the girl that the situation changed?”

“Is that what you’re worried about? This is my business. I’ll take care of it.” Jinyoung dismissed his concerns. In the younger’s opinion, his friend was overreacting.

“Jin, before she left the country you agreed to marry her someday. You told her you didn’t believe in love, so you didn’t think that you needed to have deep romantic feelings for someone to marry them. You told Eun-jung that you’d rather spend the rest of your life beside a person who you could get along with, than with a person that tried to imprison you in the name of a so-called love. You said that when your dearest girl friend returned, if she still wanted to, you two could get engaged. After all, she was someone your mother and grandfather approved, so there was nothing that could make you break your promise.” Jackson threw his arms and raised an eyebrow at him, hoping his friend could fix that issue as soon as possible in order to protect his relationship with the American.

“It’s been more than two years! My mother is dead, the opinion I had of my grandfather brutally changed. I loathe the man. Plus, I have a boyfriend now, and I’m going to debut as a K-pop idol soon. Back then, I only told Eun-jung that shit because she would never get on that plane if I didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear. We were good friends and my only intention was to console her somehow. I was different then, I was skeptic about a lot of things. My parents were always fighting at home. I never wanted to end up in a hellish marriage like they did. I didn’t believe that falling in love and living happily ever after was something that a couple could successfully accomplish. Eun-jung knew all along that I felt nothing for her, that I never would and she was okay with it. As you kindly reminded me, yes, the situation changed. I’m not the same Jinyoung of two years ago. Now I just have to tell her that I have found the one, the person that completes me and that I would die for. What’s so complicate about that?” The Korean’s unconcerned demeanor unnerved his best friend.

“Well, since this is such an uncomplicated thing to do, why haven’t you done it yet? I know you two kept in contact with each other all this time. You could’ve told Eun-jung about your relationship with Mark even before she got back to Seoul!” An impatient Jackson shot back.

“I will talk to her! She will understand, she’s not a kid anymore! And if she doesn’t take the news well, it’s her problem. It’s not like we signed a contract or something. I really think you're making a storm in a teacup over this.What the hell is troubling you exactly?” The Korean gave the Hongkonger a questioning look. He knew the other’s outburst had to do with more than his childhood friend’s return.

“What’s troubling me is obvious! Just a selfish friend like you can’t see that!” Jackson eyed him in disbelief, and exhaled.

“Will you please enlighten this selfish friend of yours then?!” Jinyoung made a face at him.

“I want him to be happy, and I can’t be the one who makes him happy, so make him happy! You got him already and you can’t see how lucky you are. Don’t let insignificant things jeopardize your relationship. You fought hard and played dirty to get what you wanted. Please, don’t take him for granted.” A solemn Jackson said at once.

“Is this about Mark?” The Korean’s tone became more serious now.

“What do you think?! I love the guy, remember?! I care about him, and you know that! It was not an easy break up, at least not for me! Your first fucking real love is not something you forget overnight! But I knew it had to happen…” The foreigner paused and sighed in frustration. “Just treat him well, and don’t make him feel so insecure about something that you, yourself said it’s not important.”

“Why do you even think he’s insecure? Did he say anything to you?” Jinyoung stared hard at him. He wasn’t comfortable with the way Jackson intervened in their relationship. Yet, he knew his reasons and he fully understood them. The Korean haven’t forgotten how that break up was unscrupulously caused by him, or how badly he had hurt his friend. He was also aware that Jackson still had feelings for the American, and that was one of the reasons he didn’t want Mark sharing a room with him anymore.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Don’t be cynical! He was being fucking territorial in that bed. He was practically begging you to not cheat on him, or leave him for someone else. You don’t have to be a genius to see that!” Jackson argued, hoping the other would be more attentive. The Korean swallowed.

“So you were awake the whole time? Did you enjoy watching us fuck!?” Jinyoung asked unreasonably, as he pursed his lips.

“Did you two even give me a choice? I might not have watched you going at it, but I damn well heard you and felt the bed shaking. I pretended to be asleep the whole time. Did you expect me to inconveniently interrupt the pair of lovers and walk away? Lucky me, I was already laying on my side and had my head turned away from the Markjin moment.” The foreigner shook his head in disapproval and continued. Yesterday you told me to stay with you in that room because you were worried about my arm. I got in your bed first! If you had told me you planned to have sex with Mark that same night, on that same fucking bed, I would gladly decline your invitation. Believe me, I don’t get off on watching my horny ex-boyfriends fuck! But there we were, the three of us in the same fucking bed again, but this time I wasn’t allowed to join you guys. And still, you did it anyway. You do know how to make a friend feel left out.” The foreigner’s words were a mix of sarcasm and vexation as he continued. “Thanks for your consideration!” An irked Jackson accused him more, giving him a pat on the back. Only then, the Korean finally relented.

“I’m sorry. I’m an insensitive jerk, as always… I just couldn’t help it. You should have called us out or something.” The Korean replied a bit remorseful as he looked away. Once he put himself in his friend’s shoes, he knew that what happened in the bedroom wasn’t okay. Although they had threesomes before, nothing justified the fact that he and Mark simply ignored how Jackson would feel if he just woke up and caught them in the act. They should’ve at least spared a thought for the Hongkonger. “Just tell me what you want me to do.” he added in an apologetic tone.

“Talk to her and then talk to him. Clarify things. We both know what you’ve been doing, and it’s not fair to either of them. Stop screwing people’s minds. I know it’s hard for you to do so, but I know you can do it.” Jackson stated, in a softer tone.

“I’ll do that. Anything else?” Jinyoung asked firmly. Sometimes he thought his friend was a saint. He had to be one to put up with his wicked ways. He was glad he had someone to stop him whenever he was going too far with his schemes.

“Get his stuff out of my bedroom. I don’t want him in there, you don’t want him there, and clearly, he himself don’t wanna be there either. Can you do that?” The Hongkonger raised an eyebrow at him.

“Of course.” He nodded guiltily. Jinyoung knew that after dragging Jackson to sleep in the same room with him would make Mark regret ever leaving his bed. He was sure the American would not refuse to be his roomie ever again.

“Good.” Jackson sighed and opened the bathroom door. “I’m going to my room now.”

“How’s your arm?” Jinyoung asked quietly, before the other walked away from him.

“Good as new. Thanks for asking.” The Hongkonger said shortly and left. His friend felt like going after him, but he knew it was unnecessary. They understood each other, no matter what happened, they always did. Jinyoung’s priority now was to get to the filming set as fast as possible and talk to his childhood friend. He planned to do exactly what Jackson advised him to. Clear things out.

After he showered and got ready for work, he noticed that his boyfriend was still sound asleep in his bed. He refused to wake him up just to say good-bye, so he carefully approached the bed and slowly placed a kiss on the top of his head. He stared down at the older for a few more seconds and after smiling fondly at Mark, he left the dorm.

When Mark woke up, it was already noon. He imagined that there wouldn't be anyone in the dorm at that hour. So he just showered, wrapped a towel around his waist and got out of Jinyoung's room. Unexpectedly, he found out that he wasn't the only one in the dorm. As he was about to cross the living room, to get to the other bedroom where his clothes were, he noticed a presence on the couch. He was convinced that it couldn't be one of his friends. They were never that quiet. Thinking that person might be an intruder, Mark tightened the towel on his waist and went to confront whomever was there. He was ready to put some of his martial arts moves in action. Yet, he froze on the spot as soon as he faced the man before him.

"Did you just come out of my grandson's room?" An unfazed JYP asked, as he crossed his legs and regarded the teenager without much ceremony. His Armani suit looked too fancy for a place like that. Its color and style didn't match the fabric of the couch he was sitting. As a mater of fact, the man himself didn't match that environment at all. He didn't belong in that humble living room, nor in any part of that modest dorm. 

"How did you get in here?" Mark asked, still in shock.

"I have the keys? I own all the trainee dorms of JYP Entertainment, remember? I usually pay a visit to each dorm, just to check how my dear trainees are doing. Now answer the question, are you still sleeping with Jinyoung?" the man demanded in a commanding voice.

"I don’t think that's any of your business." The teenager gritted his teeth.

"It is, if you are the reason my grandson refuses to attend the dinner at the mansion next week." The CEO said calmly, as he raised an eyebrow at the American.

"I don't know about any dinner. He never mentioned it to me. And even if he did, Jinyoung don't need my permission to do anything. Have you stopped to think that maybe he just doesn't wanna go?" Mark lied and slowly sat on the couch opposite the man.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" The old man asked out of the blue.

"Shouldn't you be at a business meeting or something?" Mark shot back. JYP acknowledged the teenager’s sharpness with a condescending sneer.

"Perhaps that’s exactly what I’m doing here. Business. You see, I came here to tell you face to face that I will not let anything or anyone interfere in my grandson's future, or the future of our company. Whatever arrangement you boys still have now, it has to end. Jinyoung has great responsibilities ahead of him. You are in the way." The man said simply.

"Arrangement?" Mark glared at him and took a deep breath. "We are in a relationship and we don't plan to let go of each other. There's no 'arrangement' between us, there's love." The teenager corrected him and pursed his lips. JYP shook his head and gave him a patronizing look.

"Love? That's not a word in Jinyoung's vocabulary. You might think that he does love you, just because he wants you to think that he does. He gets into people's head. He's good at it. I see a lot of me in him. Don't fool yourself into thinking that whatever you two have has any meaning to him." The man said proudly.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. He's nothing like you." Mark said shortly, glaring at him.

"Let me tell you something about my grandson, kid. Since he was very small, he enjoyed competitive activities. He was addicted to win and he would do anything in his power to get what he wanted. Although Jaebeom is the one with honorable qualities, and is a few minutes older than him, I realized that Jinyoung, since a very tender age, was the one who had the perfect skills for the kind of business our family owns. Have you heard the name of a young lady called Jo Eun-jung? She's a wealthy heiress, an open door, an asset, a means to an end. JYP Entertainment needs Jo Entertainment Corp. to become greater, and that kid grew up knowing that! He grew up knowing that their marriage would unite both companies. I convinced him that expanding the Parks' patrimony was one of the main purposes of his life. Now that Eun-jung is here, he must resume his relationship with her."

"What relationship? Are you insane? He can't get married to anyone since he's dating me! By the way, have you forgotten your grandson is gay? He likes dicks, not boobs!" Mark fumed, his patience had finally ran out. "Let me tell you something about your current grandson, he enjoys riding my dick, and he loves sticking me with his! So, since this girl doesn't have a dick nor a pair of balls down there, I don't see why you are still considering-"

"Jinyoung wouldn't be in contact with her all this time if he didn't have plans for her." The man stated with confidence. 

"You're lying." Mark swallowed, as that last sentence suddenly made him frown. He wondered why the hell his boyfriend would still be still leading her on if he was already dating him.

"Poor you. There's so much you don't know. You remind me of one of those toys my grandson used to play when he was little. He always desired the most expensive and searched toy in a store. Stupid Taek-geun refused to let me spoil the twins but whenever it was their birthday, I got the chance to fulfill their dreams. While Jaebeom was satisfied with any kind of gift, Jinyoung often asked for something every kid of his age was talking about. And if his parents told me not to buy what he wanted, for some petty reason, he had no qualms about resorting to emotional blackmailing. He was born an actor. He never failed to win Jiyeong over. Taek-geun was another story. Stupid fights between his parents would take place because of his stubbornness. But he would get his toy. It was like a trophy for him. And then he would show off his toy, he would play with it, he would never let his brother or friends near it, and as soon as he got tired of it, he would throw it away and demand a new one." JYP sighed and eyed him with fake pity. "Do you get what I mean, young man?"

"You're comparing me to a fucking toy. You're comparing my boyfriend to a Jinyoung who was once thoroughly influenced by you. Well, that's not him anymore. You are wrong about the Park Lim Jinyoung I know. I don't care if you don't believe that what we have is real. Your opinion doesn't matter. I do not have to convince you of his love for me. You're not important." Mark retorted angrily. That old man was pushing his buttons and he didn't know for how long his uninvited guest intended to torture him. Nevertheless, Mark would not let JYP ruin his day. He kept wondering if he would have to kick the CEO out of there at some point.

"Mark, you are the stepbrother Jaebeom was attracted to. You are the boy his incorrigible best friend Jackson fell for. You were a hot topic in Kirin High since you put your feet in there. The female students were all over you. Every kid in that school wanted to have you. You even had an ex who kept hovering over you. But it was him who got you. And I let him have you, because I knew he was just playing with you, and he still is. I let him get involved with you because I knew I could use you to make that contract happen and finally get full custody of my grandsons. I've been monitoring those twins all their lives. I saw an opportunity through you. I used you to achieve my goals. He's doing the same to you, even though his goals are different from mine. Maybe he's just after a good lay." JYP said sarcastically with a large smirk on his face. The American felt nauseated.

"You can't control people's feelings, even though you pollute their minds. You might have used me, but that's not Jinyoung's goal. I trust him. He cares for me, he loves me! Get it through your thick skull!" Mark clenched his teeth, extremely disgusted by the other's words. He was dying to start throwing punches.

"Up till now, you are his biggest trophy, Mark. You were just an object he could admire and victoriously say, 'mine and no one else's'. But you see, that's a temporary phase, soon he'll look for another trophy, one with the Jo label, and you will be thrown away. Because at the end of the day, boy, you are the one who's not important." JYP's last sentence made the teenager gasp. That one hurt. It hurt pretty badly, and Mark felt it in his core. He wasn’t ready for that low blow. He tried to remain unaffected, yet, he wasn’t sure if he could. He felt insecure all of sudden. _Fuck, that man was indeed Jinyoung's mentor, no doubt._ He tested his resilience, he studied his weakness, and attacked him with all he had. Uncertainty plagued the American’s mind now. Even the assurance he got from the young Lim that morning was compromised. He couldn't deny that. The stunned boy was speechless for a long minute. He blinked twice and bit his lower lip. He might've lost his confidence, but he wouldn't let his guest know that. The CEO observed him quietly, with a hidden satisfaction in his merciless eyes. Hoping to behold some sort of undisputed defeat in his features.

"I cannot waste my time with you anymore. I have training in an hour and I need to see my mom. I’ve got to get dressed, so get the hell out. I'm sure you also have a very busy afternoon. This talk is not going anywhere." Mark said weakly as he stood up and turned around, avoiding the man's scrutinizing gaze.

"We are not finished yet, young man." The man said sternly.

"What the hell do you still want from me?” An annoyed Mark raised his voice and faced him again. “I've already listened to all the crap you had to say, I already made clear to you that I'm not leaving Jinyoung. I'm afraid that there's nothing else to talk about." 

"Tuan Enterprises is in need of money, right? I can be a strong investor and help the family business flourish again." JYP suggested with a malicious grin.

"Leave, or I'll make you." Mark warned as he balled his hands into fists. _Was the old man still unaware of the fact that the Tuan’s business was somehow salvaged?_

"We haven't properly talked business yet. Tell me how much you want in order to leave my grandson. We both know it's his money you're after. You whored yourself to Jaebeom and then to his brother. I recognize a gold digger when I see one. Name your price, boy." The obnoxious man asked emotionlessly.

"Fuck you!" Mark yelled at him. JYP grimaced.

"I can kick you out of the company. I can use the pictures my grandson took of you. I can use the video you made at Kirin High's office. Kid, I even can send you back to America if I need to. I can make your life hell. I don't make threats, I make promises. Ask Taek-geun, even though he claimed to love my daughter, he was forced to abandon her. It's not wise to defy a man like me. You'd better cooperate if you know what's good for you." The old Park gave the teenager a challenging look. Mark looked down for a moment. He seemed to ponder his options, but then he lifted his head again and crossed his arms. The teenager didn’t look as dejected as he expected.

"You're desperate! That's what's going on here. You can't control Jinyoung. You lost the power you used to have over him. The truth is, you could have done all those things already, but you didn't. Just like that day in that teacher's room when you said you would send Jackson to jail. You hired some cheap actors pretending to be cops to scare us all, but you never actually thought of involving the police in your plans. You're all talk, old man. But guess what! You will not come between Jin and me. You might’ve successfully caused his parents' divorce, but you have failed to achieve your goal this time. You came here aiming to manipulate me into breaking up with your grandson, but that's not happening! You hear me!? I call your bluff." A challenging Mark stared hard at him, but when JYP suddenly stood up and gave him a menacing look, he held his breath for a second.

"You will regret this." The stoic CEO said in an unbelievably collected tone. The teenager opened his mouth to say something smart, to show his unwanted guest he did not fear him, but the man was already at the door, and Mark couldn't help but sigh in relief when he heard it close behind him.

The American finally put some clothes on and called his boyfriend in order to warn him of the imminent danger. However, the Korean's phone was turned off. Mark wondered if he was still filming at that hour. Then he couldn’t help but wonder if something bad could have already happened to him. His cunning grandfather was unpredictable, and Mark didn’t dismiss the possibility of a retaliation. He wouldn’t be surprised if the old man hurt his grandson just to get to him. He needed to find Jinyoung immediately. Therefore, he called JB and fortunately, the oldest twin answered his call.

_"Mark?"_

_"Hey, where's your brother?"_

_"Hello to you too."_ The Korean replied in a casual tone.

_"This is serious, JB. Why is he not picking up my calls? Is he with you?"_

_“No. He went out for lunch with a friend. He probably left his phone with our manager. What is so serious anyway? Do you miss him already? Jin told me how the trio MarkJinSon ended up on the same bed this morning, and I must say-”_

_“Shut up, Jaebeom-ah! Your grandfather stopped by the dorm. I made him angry after I said I would not leave Jinyoung. The fucker even offered me money! I hate to admit it, but he scared the hell out of me a couple of seconds before he left.”_

_"Damn him. I cannot believe he dared to intimidate you. What else did he do? Mark, are you okay?"_

JB’s voice sounded more urgent now.

_"I'll be okay when I see Jinyoung. Tell me exactly where I can find him."_

_"He left with Eun-jung to God knows where. He claimed he needed some private time with her. I'm sure they'll be back soon. Don't worry, grandfather would never harm him, at least not physically."_

_"..."_

_"Hyung, are you still there? Don't be a jealous bunny. It's not like Jin is cheating on you. They are just friends."_

_"I'm not jealous, just a bit anxious."_

_"Don't be. This is not good for your health. Remember stress can trigger..."_

Jaebeom's speech paused. He was still on the line but he had just stopped talking suddenly. Mark could still hear some people chatting, and some other noises in the background. The crew was probably returning from lunchtime. He could tell that his stepbrother would have to go back to join them soon.

_"What is it? You've gotta go back to work?"_ The American asked, intrigued by his stepbrother’s silence.

_"Mark, what did you do?"_

JB's voice changed drastically.

_"What do you mean? I refused your grandpa's offer, like I said-"_

_"Turn on the TV, and tell me you didn't do it."_

The American frowned at his request, but he went to the living room and quickly turned the TV on. Some reporter was talking about the possible motives a foreign trainee would have to burn down one of the Parks' property and assault the CEO of JYP Entertainment. According to the news, JYP claimed that after he warned a young aspiring idol about the legal consequences of walking away from his obligations to the company, the enraged American trainee, who seemed to be under the influence of drugs, broke into his mansion and attacked him, just before setting fire to his mansion. It was also said that one of the most powerful chairperson in Seoul sustained several injuries. Apparently, he had a few broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a concussion, stitching by the eyebrow and a lip. Mark watched in horror as scenes of the mansion going up in flames was shown on the screen. The identity of the trainee was kept in secret, but according to the reporter, the police was already after the suspect.

"What the fuck!" Mark took a deep breath, but he already felt like hyperventilating. He put one hand on his head as he felt panic overwhelm him. He never thought JYP would go that far just to frame him. He had no idea how to get out of that one. _Was he going to be charged with arson and assault if he refused to leave his boyfriend?_ He wondered how the old man got the injuries reported on the news. Could he have asked someone to beat him up just to incriminate him? Was JY Park insane enough to set fire to his own mansion? Mark knew the police would be soon find him. He was sure they would be knocking on the dorm’s door at any moment. He still had his phone glued to his ear, but he could barely listen his stepbrother. The speed of his own heartbeats distracted him. He couldn't focus on anything else.

"Are you going to deny it now? It's in the freaking news! Mark, this is absurd. Even though he made you angry, nothing justifies-"

  
Before Mark could give him a response and defend himself, his limbs felt numb and weak. He blacked out in the middle of the living room.

The American woke up inside a car, he felt it moving before he even opened his eyes. He was laying on its backseat and there was a white sheet placed above him. He wondered who the driver was and where that person was taking him. Was it even a person? Was it death? Mark suddenly thought of Joey and Raymond. He wondered if he would meet them soon. Memento mori came to his mind one more time. He could perfectly remember the deceased image of his twin lying on a hospital bed. He clearly saw himself in the same state, lifeless, decomposing, dead to the world. The certainty of death was always there, in the back of his mind. And he knew any time could be his last. He just regretted not having the opportunity to say goodbye to his dear Jinyoungie and his brothers of Got7. He wished he could have thanked his stepfather enough. Then he thought of Dorine, and his heart tightened in his chest. He wondered if she would be happy once she woke up and found out that he had finally paid for what he did to her golden son and husband. For some sentimental reason, despite all the shit that happened between them, he still wished he could say he loved his mother one last time. However, there was no time for none of that. The impatient reaper was already there to claim his soul, and his borrowed days were over. Soon he would be ashes, and all those he had loved and connected with while he was alive would have to move on without him. He would be just a memory, a reminder to them, a warning that their time was also running out. He did not regret coming to Korea. He did not regret having a surrogate family, nor falling in love. Memento vivere. He remembered to live, like his twin did. He allowed himself to expand his roots even though he knew they would rot someday. He accepted that. He decided he wouldn't fight death when it came. Therefore, he remained under that sheet, immobile, just listening to the noises of the car. However, out of curiosity, he asked his captor where exactly he would meet his fate.

"Where are we going?" The American's voice sounded hopeless, far away. The destination didn't matter, but he wanted to make sure he was still among the living. He needed to hear another human voice in order to know that he was still breathing. That he was still alive, at least for now.

"Jinhae, babe. It's my late grandmother's hometown. Before you freak out, let me tell you she was a Lim, not a Park. She was my dad's mom. It's a nice and quiet place. No one will find us there. You'll be safe. I'll keep you safe, my love. I promise you. Just stay there a bit more." The familiar voice calmed him down. That reassuring tone full of warmth and care soothed his very being. He just hoped he wasn't dreaming.

Mark's eyes widened in shock, when he felt a hand crawl under that thin sheet and hold his. That was proof that he was neither hallucinating nor lost in purgatory. He recognized the gentle touch, its unmistakably intimacy. A thankful smile crept across his face. That kind of solace gave him new life. Relief instantly washed over him. Death would have to wait a bit more, because now, he was protected, sheltered, and guarded, by his lover’s shield.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now it's MarkJin against the world!  
> Who's still supporting them out there?:D


	54. Trust My Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where is this place  
> I’m a drifting lost child  
> On top of a dark ocean  
> There’s only you and me...
> 
> ~ Trust My love, by Got7

It took them a 3-hour ride to get to their destination. During the ride, the Korean seemed to avoid all topics that could bring some kind of stress to the older. He didn't want Mark to freak out during that car drive. Therefore, when he told the American it was safe to abandon the sheet that was covering him at the backseat of the car, and move to the passenger seat beside him, the younger spoke of several random subjects, except those, which really mattered. The Korean wanted to ask his boyfriend thousands of questions regarding what had happened at the dorm, but he saved them for later. The American didn't seem to be in the mood to discuss any thorny topic at the moment. His agonizing silence was a proof of that. Then Jinyoung decided to continue distracting him from his troubling thoughts. He told Mark how he wished it was spring. He commented he would love to show his boyfriend the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival. He also told Mark about Romance bridge, and how nice it would be to take a walk along the river with him during the festival. The American flinched at the word 'bridge' but didn't protest, he simply listened to the younger quietly. Jinyoung mostly narrated the fun vacations he spent in his grandma's house with JB. He told him how he missed those times and how unique was the atmosphere in there. Nothing like Seoul, nothing like his grandfather's mansion. He described to the older how his paternal grandparents were the nicest people ever, and how Mark would have loved to meet them. Mark didn't even feel the time pass as he listened to his boyfriend's childhood stories. He knew what his lover was doing, the younger aimed to put him at ease, and he appreciated that. However, when the couple finally arrived at the house, they both knew the heavy topics couldn't be avoided anymore. As soon as they entered the place, the American broke his silence and started telling his boyfriend about JYP's visit to the dorm, but the Korean didn't seem to be taking the whole story seriously.

"He offered you money and you didn't take it? Geez, babe. You're such a principled guy." Jinyoung's playful tone made Mark roll his eyes at him. They were at the kitchen of their hideaway unpacking the bags of groceries they had bought earlier when they stopped by a convenience store on the way to the house of late the grandma Lim's house.

"So, you’re saying I should keep his money and his grandson. Is that what you're implying?" Mark crossed his arms and shook his head in disapproval. His lover simply chuckled.

"Well, I wish you were the one who kicked his ass at least. I mean, I'd love to see you teaching him a lesson. As a matter of fact, I would have helped you if I had the chance." The Korean smirked.

"Jinyoung, what the hell?!" The American eyed him in disbelief. The younger made a face.

"I don't know why you sound so shocked. Just because he's my grandfather it doesn't mean-"

"Did you pay someone to do that to him?" Mark cut him off and eyed him suspiciously.

"Babe, if I had hired someone to take care of JYP, I'd ask them to do the whole fucking job. Believe me, the old man wouldn't be alive to tell the story." Jinyoung said casually as he shrugged. "Besides, we don't know if he was really assaulted. Think about it...Maybe he's not even hurt! He knows a lot of makeup artists who could make him look like Freddy Krueger if he wanted to." Jinyoung argued as he finished filling the refrigerator with some beverages and went to help the older organize the items of the pantry. They had bought a lot of food, since they didn’t know how long they would be staying there. The couple had even agreed to ignore the dozens of missed on both their cellphones in order to have no interruptions during a talk that had already been postponed for too long.

"He's worse than Krueger." Mark huffed a laugh, but quickly he remembered the situation he was in and distress crawled back to his features. He suddenly paused what he was doing and sat on one of the stools in the kitchen. Jinyoung infallibly noticed his disquieting expression and tried to comfort the older. He approached him and sat on his lap. A startled Mark almost lost his balance, but managed to keep the younger in that position without much trouble. He loved to have him that close. His arms automatically circled his waist, and he lifted his head up a little just to meet the younger's magnetic eyes.

"Hey, I know you’ve been facing continuous hardships because of me, but remember I’m your lifeboat, babe. Big waves may crash upon you, but I’ll always be there to sail you to safety. Trust our love. As long as we remain together, we’ll be able to dodge all the obstacles that attempt to break us apart. Including JYP. I'll never let my grandpa Krueger harm you in any way. You'll only have to stay hidden for a couple of days till I'm able to fix this situation." The Korean assured him in a gentle voice as he wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Oh, yeah? What you're gonna do? Marry Eun-jung?" The American raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm 17, Mark. I have no intention of marrying anyone. Marriages are boring in the beginning and nightmarish at the end. I'd rather spend the rest of my days as your loving boyfriend." Jinyoung replied sweetly as he leaned onto Mark and gave him a brief peck on the lips. The older gave him a tiny smile and relaxed in his lover's embrace.

"I would marry you someday. Would you refuse me if I proposed to you in the future?" The American asked curiously, but suddenly he felt his lover's body stiff a little.

"Ask me this question in 10 years and I might be able to answer it." The Korean replied, as his expression turned sour. The American looked disappointed when the Korean abruptly disentangled himself from him and stood up.

"Look, I know what you think about marriages. But we are not your parents. The divorce might've been traumatic-" Mark's voice was kind, but that was not what Jinyoung wanted to hear, so he swiftly interrupted him.

"We do have a JYP in our lives though. He tore them apart. Lim Taek-geun and Park Jiyeong broke their wedding vows even though they promised each other to be together till death." The younger said as he walked out of the kitchen and dropped his body on the living room's couch. Mark immediately followed his perturbed boyfriend and sat on the couch across from him.

"If we never had a chance to meet each other, you would eventually marry Eun-jung, right? Was your grandfather lying when he said you grew up knowing that you'd have to marry her at some point?" Mark frowned at him.

"That kind of marriage would be like a business deal. We would be doing it for our families, our companies. I didn't lover her before she left, and I don't love her now that she's back. Therefore, even if, for some reason, our marriage was dissolved, I would remain emotionally unscathed. I wouldn't end up scarred like my mom." An embittered Jinyoung argued, as he ran a hand through his hair. Mark swallowed and bit his lip anxiously.

"So you'd be okay marrying someone you don't love, but you wouldn't marry me because you would be afraid of getting hurt once it was over?" An incredulous Mark questioned him.

"You and I will never be over." Jinyoung stated firmly. Mark almost gasped when he tried to absorb the intensity in them.

"That's right. I do like the sound of that. So even if we ran away together and got married in some far away country, our love would make sure that you and I would never be over. Nothing would tear us apart. Besides, marriage doesn't separate couples, it's supposed to strengthen their bonds." Mark retorted, hoping his boyfriend could understand his point.

"Why are we even discussing this now? Mark, no one is getting married, okay? The announcement Eun-jung was supposed to make at that stupid dinner had nothing to do with marriage. The truth is, she wants to move to London permanently, because she intends to continue her studies there. She told me that herself. She also confided in me that, if both our families insist on that stupid idea of arranged marriage, she will make up some story to force them to back down from their plans. She's even ready to claim that she is pregnant of a nonexistent foreign boyfriend she left back in England! She's not letting anyone control her life, and she's not interested in having me as her husband either." Jinyoung finally clarified that drama once and for all. Yet, his boyfriend wasn't satisfied with his late explanation.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?!" Mark looked exasperated as he threw his arms.

"Because I only found out about it when I had lunch with her today. She's fiercely against our families’ wishes. She likes me as a friend and that's it. It seems we both were delaying this talk because we were afraid of disappointing each other. She thought I'd still be hanging on a ludicrous engagement promise I made her before she left." The Korean inhaled, as he noticed the growing impatience on his lover's face.

"Okay! So, you're not marrying her. In fact, you're probably not cut out for that. At least, not if there's love involved. Great! I guess I'll just have to wait till you stop loving me for you to see me as proper husband material, and perhaps think of a higher level of commitment." Mark said harshly. The fact that his lover was unable to see the absurdity of that idea bothered him to no end.

"Mark, I can’t believe we are arguing about this. Why the hell are you even insisting on this topic? I'm fucking 17 years old! Will you please give me a break?! Our plan is to debut as idols, remember? Marriage has nothing to do with it." Jinyoung lost his temper and yelled at him. Mark was taken aback for a moment, but he knew that wasn't the moment to convince his stubborn boyfriend that some marriages do work.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Let's not talk about this topic if it upsets you. I just want you to know that I trust you enough to never let the old man manipulate me like he did it to your mom." An apologetic Mark assured him, as he kneeled in front of his lover and took his hand in his.

"My mom trusted my Dad, and that wasn't enough." Jinyoung replied a bit unsettled, as he averted his eyes from his boyfriend. Mark sighed.

"You have a point. When JYP told me that you were still in contact with Eun-jung, and that you only saw me as a trophy I almost believed him." Mark sat on the floor and looked down. He didn't release Jinyoung's hands, nor the other made any motion to shy away from that contact. The Korean simply left the couch and sat on the floor in front of his boyfriend.

"It's my fault. I should've explained to you what Eun-jung meant to me. I guess I just wanted to see how you would react once you realized we were close. I wanted to make you jealous, force you to forget that stupid idea of rooming with Jack. I was tired of being the only one feeling threatened. I wanted to keep you on your toes, and let you know how it felt like to fear losing the love of your life. Sorry, I'm a dumbass." The Korean looked slightly ashamed as he revealed his previous intentions to the older. Mark slowly lifted his head and brought a hand to the younger's cheek, caressing it with his thumb.

"Hey, Nyoungie. You're not a dumbass. I kinda guessed you were scheming something. I get jealous too and I'm possessive of you as much as you are of me. I just don't show it all the time, I'm not as confrontational as you are. But if it makes you happy, I'll try to voice my insecurities more directly. I'd rather talk to you about them than lose my sleep. Bu the way, you don't have to worry about a 'Markson' room anymore. From now on, I'm not rooming with anyone but you." Mark informed him and ruffled his lover's silky dark hair.

"So you couldn't sleep because you were afraid Jo Eun-jung would take me away from you?" The younger smirked at him. 

"And Jack." Mark added embarrassedly. 

"What?! Are you for real? Jack and I? Wow, I didn't plan that. You got jealous because I brought him to my room? Babe, he was hurt. I was just looking after him like a good friend." Jinyoung said in a cooing voice.

"Yeah. And you gave him a bath, and you'd probably hold his dick for him while he peed in the toilet! Come on, you two used to be more than friends. You used to screw each other and screw other people together! You made me break up with him, you kicked him out of our throuple arrangement and he's still your bestie. The guy loves you and sticks with you no matter what. You're possessive of him too. You can't bear to see him with Eric. What am I supposed to think?" The American explained himself, but deep down he knew all along that he should have followed Youngjae's advices and trusted Jinyoung's unconditional loyalty to him.

"Seunnah and I have a history, all right. But I won't be physically intimate with anyone but you. Sex has a different connotation now that I know how it feels like to be madly in love. There are singular moments that I will only share with my American lover." Jinyoung said adorably as he captured Mark's lips for a brief second and continued. "My problem with Eric Nam is that I don't know him. I don't know his intentions towards Jack and sometimes I wonder if he's really over you." 

"I was a little upset about the idea of the two of them going out, but I don't think it's fair to sabotage your best friend after everything that happened. We cheated on Jack, we trampled on his heart. We should at least allow him to move on and support his new relationship." Mark commented, as he pondered his own words.

"It's not a relationship yet. As far as I know they are just fucking. I'd hate to think that Eric is taking advantage of his vulnerability. I mean, we both know Jacks still has feelings for you." Jinyoung stated, as an uncomfortable Mark looked away.

"Maybe they're both vulnerable." Mark's voice was almost a whisper now. The Korean relented.

"I'll try to be more cordial towards him from now on. After all, he was the one who helped me to carry you to the car."

"Eric was at the dorm?" Mark was intrigued.

"The thing is, when I returned from lunch with Eun-jung, and met JB at the studio, he told me about the assault and the fire. My brother also expressed his concern over who could be the suspect of those crimes. Then he told me about grandpa's visit to the dorm and how you hung up on him. So I ran out of the studio like a crazy man to find you at the dorm. When I got there, to my surprise, Nam was already banging on our door. I told him to go away, but he said he'd only leave, after he had a look at you. I imagined he had seen the news too and thought the same as JB, that you were the trainee who gave JYP what he deserved. Therefore, I let him in, and we found you unconscious on the rug. I panicked like a motherfucker, I didn't know what to do. I knew you were still breathing, but I was afraid someone had done something to make you faint like that. I hate to see you that way, and it’s not the first time, you know.” Jinyoung sighed in frustration and continued. “When I started crying like an idiot, he was the one who told me to get a hold of myself and take you out of the dorm before the police arrived. Then we wrapped a sheet around you and put you in the backseat of my car." Jinyoung revealed, as he internally blamed himself for the whole situation. He tried not to think of how desperate his boyfriend must’ve felt to black out like that. He knew he would have to deal with his grandfather at some point. It was the second time Jinyoung saw Mark unconscious like that, and he wasn't ready to experience a third round any time soon. He had never felt so impotent, and useless. Yet, he would not admit he was relieved to have Eric there. He wondered if he would ever reach the level of maturity and serenity that the idol had. He wanted to be a dependable boyfriend to Mark, but he felt he was still lacking.

"I told you he is a good guy. I truly hope you two can become friends someday." Mark assured him.

"Friends? I doubt it. Maybe the four of us should go on a double date to find out if I can stand him for more than one hour. Then we can think about this friendship thing." Jinyoung seemed to consider his lover’s words.

"A double date? Would you be willing to hang out with my two exes at the same time? How come?" Mark gave him a look of disbelief.

"It would be a great opportunity to show them that you belong to me now. I don't have a problem with being PDA in front of them during the whole date. Those two should know that you and I already have already built our own private madness." Jinyoung's smirk grew larger. An amused Mark punched his arm lightly.

"You psycho. Everybody knows that by now."

"Do they? We'll see about that." Jinyoung said playfully as he caressed Mark's sides.

"Is there anything else you need to share with me?" Mark felt lighter now that they had finally had that talk. Even the prospect of going to the jail didn't bother him as much as before.

"Oh, it’s not a big deal, but Eun-jung and I set fire to the mansion." Jinyoung said without ceremony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a double update, dedicated only to Markjin!


	55. Love You Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope the time stops forever like this   
> The best I ever had  
> I only see you even when I close my eyes   
> Trust me and follow me   
> I promise I won’t leave you alone   
> I’ll lead you through the storm...
> 
> ~ Love you Better, by GOT7

"Excuse me?" A wide-eyed American stared at him incredulously.

"Since the stupid dinner was supposed to happen at the Parks' mansion, we thought that if we got rid of the mansion, the dinner wouldn't have to happen next week."

"Are you two a pair of idiots? How many properties do you think JYP owns? He can change the dinner location, or make sure it takes place at the Jo's house. Burning down the mansion won't make any difference." Mark squinted his eyes at him. He wondered if Jinyoung was joking.

"I know, but I always wanted to do it. Actually, I should have burned that damn place a long time ago. It had to happen sooner or later. I'm glad it's finally gone. When I saw the mansion start go up in flames I felt like a heavy weight was lifted from my shoulders." An unconcerned Jinyoung confessed, as he got up from the floor and went in the direction of the kitchen again. Leaving an astonished Mark behind. The gaping American was lost for words. He suddenly feared that Jinyoung might not be all right. He observed in silence as the unflappable younger returned from the kitchen with two cans of Coke and offered one to him. He accepted the can from his boyfriend brought to him, but he couldn't bring himself to open it. He was still trying to make sense of what he had just heard. _Should he be worried about the Korean's mental state? Was his boyfriend a pyromaniac?_ After all, it wasn't the first time he started a fire.

"Tell me, Nyoungie… Do you happen to get some sort of gratification out of that? I mean, starting fires turns you on or something?" Mark asked tentatively. The Korean took a sip of his Coke and sat back on the couch with a puzzled look on his face.

"Mark, are you implying what I think you're implying? Do you really think I'm suffering from some sort of conduct disorder? Perhaps pyromania?" Jinyoung chuckled, eyeing his boyfriend amusedly.

"Well, you do have some sort of fascination with fire. Honestly, I think you should be seeing a psychotherapist." The seriousness in Mark's tone made the younger break into a fit of laughter.

"Babe, it seems we're both fucked up in the head then. Please, let's not forget your worrisome fascination with death. I’m surprised you haven’t suggested a some sort of Romeo and Juliet ending for us. I’m not a fan of Shakespeare’s tragedies though. Anyways, should we seek help together, darling?" Jinyoung asked in a mocking voice. But the hurt look on his lover's face made him stop laughing at him.

"I killed my brother and father in a car accident. What's your excuse?" Mark demanded, staring hard at him. Jinyoung's expression changed abruptly as he met the American's gaze. He surrendered. Only the older could get the true story out of him.

"My mom often told me the Parks' mansion was evil. She begged me to destroy that place once she was gone. She claimed that it imprisoned her for too long and that even after she died, her soul would be trapped there. She said I needed to burn down the mansion to set her spirit free. She didn't want me nor JB living there. When the divorce happened, she really wanted us to live with her, but when she started getting pretty sick, she often told me to get away from there. She was scared it would take me too." The sadness etched in the young Lim's face suddenly made Mark feel sorry for him. The older realized that his boyfriend's problem was nothing but grief. He knew that symptom very well. It could easily become destructive. He suddenly remembered how back in LA, after the car accident, he smashed Joey's piano and thrashed his room, breaking every single furniture in it. Dorine thought he had gone mad, but all he wanted was to stop feeling miserable.

"Jin, your mom wasn't herself, it was the illness talking. I've been to the mansion. There was nothing wrong with it. She was probably too weak to get out of bed and she felt like a prisoner there. You can't possibly think that her soul was-"

"I just did what she asked of me, Mark. I'm sure you can understand how the words of a dead loved one never leave your conscience, and refuse to be forgotten. They keep eternally replaying in your mind, like a permanent echo... I bet you are unable to forget a few things your dad and your twin said to you while they were alive." Jinyoung's smile was sad now. His lover nodded.

"Yeah." The older whispered, as the words _'memento vivere'_ came to his mind.

"It's been months since she died. I didn't have the courage to honor her request, but I thought that now should be a good opportunity. When I learned about the dinner, I had to make sure that mansion would not take me too. I just had to do it, you know?" The sorrow in Jinyoung's eyes begged for understanding.

"I know. It’s okay, Nyoungie." Mark nodded.

"Since my mom seems to approve you, the only prison I'll gladly accept, is your heart." The Korean said out of the blue. Mark looked lost for a second.

"What do you mean, Jiyeong approves me? We only met once and she never knew who I really was." He reminded his boyfriend, who simply gave him a tiny smile.

"It's a weird story. Forget about it." Jinyoung waved at him.

"No, I wanna know!" The older was obviously curious about his comment and Jinyoung couldn't help but think of how cute his confused expression looked at that moment. Then he swiftly gave in.

"The same day my mom died she had told me to follow my own heart and ignore the plans JYP had for me. She advised me to open my eyes and see that love was always possible. She told me I shouldn't run away from it, but if I was too afraid or blind to embrace it, she would give me a sign. She swore to me that even after she died, she would point me in the right direction whenever the love of my life appeared to me."

"You saw your mom after she died? She told you I was the one?" Mark was bewildered and excited at the same time. The fact that Jiyeong showed up and hinted to her son the importance he would have in his life was undeniably touching.

"It wasn't like that. I saw her at _Why Not?_ the night Jack and I took your virginity." Jinyoung smiled at him with a dreamy look in his eyes. Mark made a face.

"Oh, come on! You're serious? What would your mother's ghost be doing in a gay bar? You and Jack were both stoned. That doesn't count. With the amount of drug you certainly had in your system, you were probably hallucinating." Mark sounded disappointed now. Jinyoung wasn't fazed by his reaction. He believed it was really his mother's spirit giving him the sign that she said she would give him.

"I could swear I saw her staring at us in the middle of the crowd when I took you by the wrist and led you to the exit of the bar. I didn't know what to make of that. I never mentioned it to anyone. I kept wondering if she was really there, but I knew that was impossible. I didn't understand it back then, but I do now."

"Well, it's not like she pointed her finger to me or spoke my name in your ear, right? Jackson was also there. Have you ever thought of the possibility that the love of your life might be him?" Mark sounded a bit uncertain now. The conviction in his lover's words were unyielding.

"It was your wrist I was holding, not his." Jinyoung said in a determined tone. "Besides, I was already feeling that something was wrong when Jack and I took you to that hotel and he started touching you. I couldn't bear the idea of letting him top you. I had to be your first guy, in all ways. It was weird to think like that, because it had never happened when he and I shared the bed with other guys. Jack and I had threesomes before and I never felt that way towards any of the random twinks he fucked. But it was different with you, I wanted you to be exclusively mine."

"Really? Since that first night?! Wow, I would never have guessed it. You just told me I was the best you ever had. I figured you simply enjoyed the sex." Mark's voice was distant, as his mind traveled back to that moment.

"I'm sorry I was so indifferent back then. I know I took too long to realize that I loved you. I'm sorry for delaying my confession, and making you think that I'm incapable to love you the same way Jackson did, or perhaps still does." Jinyoung said quietly, as he remembered the last argument they had at the dorm. Mark took a deep breath.

"I shouldn't have said that. I only did it out of anger. You're not the same guy you used to be. I shouldn't be rubbing our past in your face. We are different now, we are in a proper relationship. I don't want you to treat me the same way Jack used to. I want you to love me in your own way. It doesn't matter if you confessed his feelings to me after he did. I trust your love now and that's enough. I don't want us to fight over stupid things anymore. I'll try to communicate with you more effectively. I promise I'll be more understanding of your insecurities and I won't hide mine from you anymore." Mark asserted as he placed his head upon his lover's shoulder.

"Then I'll promise not to compare you to a little bitch anymore. I won't crudely offend you like that in the future. Forgive me." Jinyoung sounded apologetic, as he remembered the hurt expression on his lover's face when he said that to him.

"I'll let it pass this time. But if you start calling me names whenever you get jealous, I'll break both your legs, honey." Mark warned him and added in a more playful way, "but of course you can call me all kinds of dirty names while we're in bed."

"Christ! You're really into that kind of kinky stuff, aren't you?" A flushed Jinyoung laughed uncontrollably.

"And so are you, mister! Don't play dumb with me. I know you like to experiment. Maybe we should try some sexy role-play costumes, engage in a bit of bondage and a lot of spanking next time." Mark suggested shamelessly as he gave the Korean a sultry look. The younger couldn't help but laugh harder.

"I'm not sure you'll be able to keep up with all the fantasies I have in store for you." Jinyoung whispered, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Well, if giving head in a public place was one of your sexual fantasies, we already did that. I can't forget the time you decided it would be fun to blow me in the toilet of the restaurant our family was having lunch." Mark chuckled, as he remembered how the young Lim seemed extremely unreadable back then.

"Believe me, there is more…What about I whip you while you're naked on all fours calling me 'daddy'?" The Korean suggested jokingly.

"No fucking way." Mark protested, giving him an awkward look.

"Too hardcore for you?" Jinyoung asked, as he licked his lips in an exaggerated way. The other shook his head.

"Considering that my father is dead and my stepfather is your dad, the nickname sounds beyond weird to me." Mark pointed out.

"Would you prefer calling me, hot little brother while you use a remote-control vibrator to make me come whenever you want? I could do be your sex slave and pound your ass at the same time." Jinyoung asked in a comically erotic tone. The abashed American threw a cushion at his head.

"Seriously, stop talking." The older covered his ears with both his hands, but Jinyoung seemed to enjoy teasing him.

"Or I could put you on a leather leash and collar while you go down on me-"

"Or maybe we could invite Jack, Eric, Youngjae and Jaebeom for a wild sex party, and after a session of sweaty, delicious gangbang, you all could bukkake on me." Mark's words finally silenced the younger. The terror in Jinyoung's eyes denounced his strong disapproval of such a fantasy. After a long minute, the younger swallowed and tried to speak again, but his voice faltered. Wanting to see more of that hilarious reaction from his boyfriend, Mark continued. "I'm not into orgies with exes though. And bringing friends and family to our bed is a little over the top." 

"A little?!" The scandalized Korean gaped.

"What about a bunch of strangers? Hey, I had an amazing idea. What about inviting Kirin High's soccer team? I'm sure at least Taehyung would be up for it." Mark said boldly, winking at him.

"For the love of God, tell me you're joking." Jinyoung looked like he was about to have a stroke.

"You started it." Mark laughed out loud, as the other sighed in relief.

"You're gonna be the death of me, Mark Tuan." The younger said, before he gripped the nape of his lover's neck and brought his face for a kiss, that quickly deepened and became needier. Within a second Jinyoung had already climbed on top of him and they started making out on the floor.

"Imagining me surrounded by a bunch of naked soccer players does turn you on, huh?" Mark broke the kiss and arched his eyebrows as he felt his boyfriend's clothed boner brush against his thigh.

"Shut up, and kiss me." Jinyoung ordered, as he captured his lips again and parted Mark's knees, to position himself between his legs. The American willingly let him slip a hand under his pants and stroke him. They were too busy devouring each other's mouth when the Korean's phone vibrated in his pants.

"Nyoungie, you should take that." A panting Mark released his lips and whispered against his cheek as the other's tongue quickly assaulted his jaw.

"We’re not taking any calls, remember? The only thing I plan to take right now is your cock in my mouth." Jinyoung leaned on him again and whispered against his ear. An aroused Mark moaned loudly and bit his lower lip when the other nibbled on his earlobe and neck. 

The phone kept ringing, and just out of curiosity, the American took it out of his lover's pocket to see who was the caller. When he saw the name of his stepfather displayed on the screen, he himself decided to answer that call. Jinyoung didn't care who was on the phone, he kept pleasing his boyfriend's body even when the older revealed to him who was calling. By the time Mark finally accepted the call, the Korean was already pulling his pants down.

_"H-hey, what's up?"_ Mark managed to ask, as he felt the younger play with his balls and lick his shaft. He covered his mouth with one of his hands to muffle his groans.

_"Mark? Why didn't you pick up my calls? Where did you and Jinyoung disappear to? I saw the news. I know you didn't do it. Your friends and I are worried about you. Just come back home."_

_"I-I c-can't."_

Mark stuttered as Jinyoung mercilessly licked his dick and slowly grazed his teeth along its tip.

_"Of course you can. Are you all right? You don't sound fine."_

_"I-I...Shit!"_ Mark couldn't help but moan loud when he felt his lover take all of him in his mouth till the younger's nose was buried in his pelvic area. Jinyoung deep throated him for a second, and then went back to suck his length in a speedy rhythm. The Korean knew he has driving his lover crazy in the middle of a phone call with Taek-geun, and he didn't care. He was loving to embarrass and pleasure the older at the same time.

_"Mark, are you hyperventilating? Is Jinyoung with you now? Put him on the phone."_

_"H-he's b-bus-sy."_ The American's breath hitched, while he tried to avoid glancing at the indecent young man between his legs. He knew that the moment their eyes met, he would start panting and moaning louder.

_"What? Tell him you need help! Do you have your meds?"_

_"_ Turn off the goddamn phone and look at me." Jinyoung's deep commanding voice made all the hairs of his body stand up. The America felt like coming right away, but the younger wasn't going to let him reach his peak so fast. His mouth had left his dick, but his hand quickly replaced his gorgeous Asian lips and squeezed the older's hard on. Mark's mouth was hanging open and his eyes were half shut. He writhed. He was completely at his boyfriend's mercy when the other stopped stroking him. Mark needed to come so bad, and he knew Jinyoung wouldn't let him if he disobeyed him. The Korean loved to play the dominant role during sex and he wanted Mark's full attention on him while he was at it. The older was unsure of what to do. He didn't want to hang up on his stepdad, but he wasn't able to speak coherently either. He was loving his boyfriend's blowjob, but he didn't want to give in to the younger so easily. However, when his lover gave one more tug on his erection, a quivering Mark automatically dropped the phone on the floor, without ending the call. He just laid there, closed his eyes tighter and bit his lower lip. He was dying to see what the other would do next. It didn't take long for the younger to lean his body against him and brush his erection against his. Mark opened his eyes when he felt his dick being released and Jinyoung's hot breath on his face. He quickly lost that battle. Jinyoung had him. He was hypnotized by the magnetic orbs above him. Jinyoung overpowered him.

"Let me come." The urgency in his voice was palpable, as he tried to reach for his erection, but the closeness of the younger's body denied him access.

"After me." Jinyoung whispered, and gave him a brief kiss.

"Nyoungie." Mark whined as he tried to capture his lips again, and the younger denied him. But he didn't complain when he watched the younger remove his own pants and boxers and stand up above him. The view of Korean's thick length made him salivate.

"You wanna come, babe? Then you'd better get on your knees, suck me off and touch yourself while you're at it." Jinyoung suggested in a sensual voice. But Mark wasn't having any of it.

"Fuck you." The American replied and started to get up from the floor. But, Jinyoung was quicker and held him there.

"What are you doing? Markie, stay." The Korean said in a hurry, as his boyfriend pushed him away. The younger started laughing at his reaction and squatted beside the older to calm him down. He tried to put both his hands on the American's shoulders to keep him from getting away from him, but the way the older roughly twisted his arm behind his back, made the younger gasp. The skillful movement was so fast that it took his boyfriend by surprise. The Korean grunted in pain, but Mark ignored the pitiful noises coming from him and whispered a warning in his ear.

"If this is one of your sadomasochistic fantasies, you'd better find another guy who enjoys this kind of shit. This is not a D/s relationship, you ass. You started touching me first, so I deserve to come first!" Mark stated seriously, as he gave the other a dirty look and released his arm. A relieved Jinyoung immediately apologized and approached him again more carefully.

"Hey, babe! Relax, I'm kidding. I was just teasing you. Come here, let me take care of you." Jinyoung slowly kneeled beside him and resumed the blowjob he had initiated earlier. The Korean didn't have to do much to get him off, the moment he started bobbing his head, he felt the older's semen fill his mouth and throat. The Korean swallowed it proudly and looked up, just to see a pleased Mark gazing at him with gratitude. There was also an intriguing gleam of playfulness in his eyes. Jinyoung frowned at that.

"You could have insisted, you know. I would have obeyed you if you had put more effort into your role. I'd gladly let you come first. I’d even call you ‘my hot dongsaeng’ if you made me do it." Mark whispered as he winked at him. Jinyoung was completely in shock. He never thought the American could act that well.

"Oh my goodness! Were you roleplaying or something?" A wide-eyed Jinyoung asked and the other simply smirked and nodded. The younger finally realized that his boyfriend had completely fooled him into thinking he was not enjoying his dominant behavior of minutes ago. "I thought I had crossed a line, or offended you somehow. I was so fucking afraid for a second, I thought you were really mad. The way you grabbed my arm! I wasn't sure if I should shit in my pants or have an orgasm right there. Jesus Christ, you're full of surprises, babe." He confessed as he pinched Mark’s side.

"Are you okay? Sorry if I put too much strength into it. I had to sound convincing." Mark chuckled as he gently caressed his lover's arm. "I was just thinking, if you wanna have the power during sex, you gotta fight for it. Better luck next time, Nyoungie." He added with a mischievous smile plastered on his face. Jinyoung blushed.

"What did I do to deserve such a gorgeous, daring, wild and awesome boyfriend like you?" The Korean asked as he sat on Mark's lap and kissed his lips. He moaned when he felt one of the older's hand massage his thigh and stroke his length. He wondered if he would be allowed to have his climax now. His precum was already dripping on his boyfriend's pretty fingers. His head was about to roll back, yet, when the older spoke to him in the most lascivious way possible, he focused his eyes on him again.

"Since I cannot have my bukkake, maybe you could give me a pearl necklace. It's been a while. How about youe me with you?" Mark suggested, as he reminded the young Lim of the last threesome they had with Jackson. The American never forgot how it made the Hongkonger upset, and how he claimed that Jinyoung meant to 'mark' him. 

"As you wish, babe." An aroused Jinyoung promptly got up and positioned his dripping cock in the direction of his lover's beautiful face. Mark sat up on the floor, took off his shirt, and lifted his head up to receive his cum shots. He opened his willing mouth wide when he felt the hot liquid squirting from the younger's throbbing cock shower his lips, cheeks, shoulders, eyes and neck. When the Korean was done, he kissed his lover's sticky forehead and told his boyfriend he would get a towel for him. But Mark stopped him from leaving him.

"No, Nyoungie. I don't need a towel. Just let me enjoy this feeling a little longer." Mark begged, as he removed some of the semen from his eyes and smeared it along his jaw and across his nipples. It felt hot to watch the older bathe in his essence, shroud his own skin with it. Jinyoung could tell how much his lover enjoyed being covered by his load and he couldn't help but join him on the floor. They made out for a while, till the pair decided they really needed a shower.

When they were properly clean, they got dressed and ate some pizza for dinner. After a lot of insistence from his boyfriend, Jinyoung decided to return his father's call, but this time it was JB who answered the phone.

_"Jinyoung?"_

_"Hey, is dad with you? Just tell him we are fine. Please inform him that I'm properly looking after his stepson."_ Jinyoung said as he winked at Mark, who was laying beside him in the bed. The older gave him a docile smile. It made the younger want to abuse those not-so-innocent lips with right away, but he quickly kept his feeligs in check when he heard his twin’s hurried tone.

_"Where are you? You both need to come back."_

_"So grandfather can accuse my boyfriend of something he didn't do? Do you really think I'll let the old geezer jeopardize my relationship with Mark and send him to jail for something he didn't do?"_

_"We'll figure it out when you come back! We can find him a lawyer, we'll help him together. You're being reckless, as always! Leaving like that was very unprofessional of you. You took off in the middle of the shooting without a single excuse-"_

_"Jaebeom-ah, what if it was Jae? Would you let him be arrested?"_

_"Look, grandfather hasn't made any formal accusations against Mark yet. That means he wants something. Once we find out what it is and give it to him, he'll leave him alone."_

_"He wants me to be his puppet, that's what he wants. Put father on the phone."_

_"He's not here. I mean, he was here at the dorm with me and the others, but the hospital called and he just left without saying anything. He even forgot his phone here."_

_"Is it Dorine? Did something happen to her?"_ Jinyoung asked with a concerned expression on his face. A alarmed Mark immediately took the phone from him.

_"JB, what is it? She's dead, isn't she? Just tell me, I can take it."_ The American asked urgently as he put a hand on his head. His heartbeats doubled.

_"Mark?! Don’t listen to Jin. Just tell me where the fuck you are and I'll meet you guys right now. My brother is stupid, you cannot rely on him to take care of this situation, you need-"_

_"I asked you about my fucking mother!"_

Jinyoung sighed in despair when his boyfriend shouted on the phone. He prayed that Dorine was alive. He didn’t want to be the one who caused her death. The American noticed his afflicted expression and put the phone on speaker, so both of them could hear Jaebeom.

_"I don't know. I tried to ask Dad about the call from the hospital but he said he needed to see her with his own eyes."_

JB tried to sound more collected, after his hyung shouted at him.

_"Her body? M-maybe s-she finally gave up."_

Mark’s conclusion was obviously the worst. A quiet Jinyoung searched his hand on the bed and held it tight.

_"I really don't know, hyung. But I promise I'll find out soon, I'll drive to the hospital myself. I can take you to her if you want me to. Whatever happens, remember you're not alone. Just come home-"_

Suddenly JB was interrupted. Other voices and a bit of confusion could be heard in the background. Mark recognized them. It was his friends, his family. The members of Got7. When another voice spoke to him through the phone, a fluent Mandarin filled his ears.

_"Yi-en, You guys don’t have to come here. I’ll come to you. Just give me the address. I won't tell them. No one will know but me. I know you're trying to keep us safe by staying away-"_

_"I'm scared she'll send me away, Gaga! She has to be dead. I need her to be dead, I want her to be dead. If she's not, I'll have to kill her! She can't live! If she does, she will keep trying to make my life a never-ending funeral. I- I just can't bear it anymore. I wanna have peace, I wanna be happy-"_

An agitated Mark replied in the same language, as he felt his eyes water. Jinyoung eyed him with apprehension unable to understand what was being said between the two. He asked him what was wrong. Yet, the older wouldn't dare to tell his boyfriend what he had just told Jackson. He felt ashamed of himself. Would the Korean be able to ease his fears? Jinyoung had just lost a mother he loved very much. Would he be able to understand why Mark wanted the only parent he still had dead? Would he judge him for it? Dorine was a topic the couple hadn’t properly discussed yet. The American didn’t share with Jinyoung how he felt about the possible two scenarios they could face. If Dorine woke up from the coma, he knew she could be a problem for them, even bigger than JYP himself. If Dorine died, his conscience could devastate him, and because of that, he didn’t know what would happen to their relationship either.

Jinyoung’s agonizing expression begged for answers, while Jackson’s soothing voice still tried to keep him somewhat balanced.

_"Hey, sweetheart. Dorine has no power over you, she can't hurt you when you have us by your side. I saved you when she was throwing plates at you like a crazy woman at the Lim's residence, remember? You were terrified under that kitchen table, but you survived, right? You passed out, but when you woke up I was there with you. I can save you no matter how many times you need me to. It will be all right, I promise. Just tell me, please."_

_"We're at the house of Jinyoung's paternal grandparents."_

_"Okay. I'll see you soon."_

_"But you gotta find out about my mother first. I need to know."_

_"Deal."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dead Dorine? An alive Dorine?  
> Dorine or JYP?  
> Dorine and JYP?  
> What's the worst that could happen?
> 
> LOL
> 
> Markjin shippers hwaiting!^^


	56. Not By The Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,  
> Whose misadventured piteous overthrows  
> Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.  
> The fearful passage of their death-marked love  
> And the continuance of their parents’ rage…  
> What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
> 
> (Romeo and Juliet, Prologue, Lines 6-15)  
> “O, swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circle orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.” (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2)
> 
> by William Shakespeare

After Jaebeom's call, Mark told his boyfriend that Jackson would be joining them soon. Jinyoung wasn't very happy about the idea of having the Hongkonger over, since he believed that his grandfather could've hired someone to follow his friends' every move just to find out their whereabouts. However, Mark was still too disturbed by the news regarding Dorine, and he quickly ignored his speculations. The Korean wanted to discuss the subject further, but the older refused to start an argument with the younger in the middle of the night, so he simply turned around and went to sleep. Actually, he tried hard to get some sleep. He closed his eyes, he counted sheeps, yet he couldn't.

He could tell Jinyoung was fast sleep in the bed. He could hear his paced breathing behind him. He wondered why that sweet lullaby wasn’t enough to knock him out yet. Even though the younger was disappointed when Mark cut short their talk earlier, during sleep, Jinyoung's arm infallibly found its way to the American's waist and he held him close, in a protective manner.

A smile crept across the American's face as he eyed the way the younger cuddled up to him. It was amazing how he could fit inside his lover's embrace just like the way a spoon would fit in a drawer. Mark didn't want to lose that. He loved him, and he couldn't bear the idea of letting go of that warmth. He wished that Dorine and JYP would just leave them alone, and allow them to live peacefully. He wondered how many hardships Jiyeong Park must have endured while she was married to Taek-geun. He couldn't even imagine how much pressure Kirin High's principal had to deal with when he decided to marry the heiress of JYP Entertainment. Mark didn't want his relationship with Jinyoung to suffer like that, and he knew his lover felt the same way. He understood why the younger thought it was better to run away from Seoul than face their problems upfront. But Mark was not sure if running away was the best option for them. They couldn't run away forever like two criminals. They shouldn't have to. It wasn't fair, it was tiresome. It made him anxious, and sad.

When Mark finally convinced himself that he was unable to sleep that night, he thought about leaving the bed, and getting something to drink, but his boyfriend only tightened the hold on his waist when the older tried to slip away from him. The American was surprised with the strength he put on that hold. It was almost bruising. When Jinyoung pressed his head against his back, Mark could feel a bit of wetness dampen his shirt. Only then, he realized that the Korean was definitely awake, and crying. Mark's heart instantly ached for him as soon as he started stammering.

"D-don't le-leave me, p-please." Jinyoung whispered quietly, as he sobbed against him. A perplexed Mark tried to turn around to face him and calm him down somehow, but the younger wouldn't let him. The American could roughly get away from that hold, but he knew he didn't have to.

"I'm not leaving you, ever. I just can't sleep." The older reassured him. "Why are you crying? Please don't cry, Nyoungie. Let me look at you." Mark requested in a tender voice.

"I don't want you to see me like this. I don't want you to think I'm weak. I don't want you to think I'm unable to keep us together. I don’t want you to think I’m not good enough for you. I don’t want you to regret keeping the wrong boyfriend." Jinyoung muttered, as he buried his forehead on the older's back and cried harder.

"Hey, don’t say that. Why would I even imagine that you aren’t right for me? I don't think you're weak, my darling. Don’t be naïve. You don't have to hide your emotions from me. Nyoungie, it's okay to feel helpless sometimes. Just let me comfort you, I love you, and I wanna be able to see all of you." Mark whispered as he felt the grip on his waist loosen up a little, allowing him to turn around and face his boyfriend. It was dark, and Mark couldn't see his eyes. The older thought of turning on the bedside lamp, but he was aware that the younger you'd rather keep the lights off. Even though the darkness surrounded them, Mark's graceful fingers easily found the side of his face and traced the tears that stained his cheek.

"You're gonna leave me because of your mom, right? You're going to the U.S with her because you feel guilty for being with me even after I threw her down those stairs." The Korean said out of the blue.

"No." The older sighed in frustration. “You didn’t push her. She fell.” He managed to avoid that subject as much as he could, but he didn't seem to have a choice now. Not while Jinyoung was in such a state.

"Don't lie to me. You ran away from me before. You hid at Nam's house and kept me in the dark. You refused to let me help." The younger's tone was full of despair. Mark suddenly wished he could have erased that episode of his life. _Jesus Christ, he wished he had eliminated Dorine from his life._ If it wasn’t for her ‘disappearance’ he would never have ended up hiding in his ex’s house.

"I was confused and hurt back then. I had no idea why she had left me. I was ashamed and angry. I didn't mean to make you suffer. I won't do that again. Ever. Trust me." The American said as he removed his hands from his cheek and entwined their fingers under the sheets.

"I want her to be out of that coma because I hate to be the guy who did that to her. But I know you fear what's gonna happen once she leaves the hospital. I don’t even wanna think about what will happen if she dies. I know you feel like you owe something to her. I know you believe that because Joey and Raymond are gone, you've gotta make it up for Dorine somehow. You never stopped blaming yourself for the car accident in LA. You never forgave yourself, because she never allowed you to. She can use that guilt of yours against our relationship. She separated you from Nam by taking you out of the U.S, and we both know she can do the same to us now, by dragging you back to America. Even though you're 18 now, she'll always be your mom. Will you abandon the only parent you still have just to be by my side? Will she press charges against me if you refuse to listen to her? Will she claim I pushed her down those stairs on purpose? I can tell you're struggling with these doubts, even though you don't voice them. You have all these fears too, and you don't share them with me. You don't trust me enough." Jinyoung said, as he disconnected their hands and wiped his tears away, but his sobs didn't cease.

"It's not like that." Mark's weak voice wasn't convincing enough. He knew his boyfriend could read him like a book at that point, he just didn't how well he was able to do it up till now.

"Yes, it is!" The Korean insisted, and Mark couldn't deny him the truth now.

"I trust you. I just don't trust myself enough. Yeah, I worry about Dorine’s possible threats, and I’m afraid that I might fall into one of her traps." The American admitted, as he slowly placed his forehead against the other's. "Sometimes she just knows how to...I just wish I had never killed them."

"It was an accident! And if it didn't happen, your mom would never have left America. She would never have married my father, and I wouldn't have a chance to meet you." A distressed Jinyoung argued, trying not to stutter.

"So should I be happy that they're dead then? Because if they weren't, I would probably still be with Eric in fucking California instead of being here with you?" Mark asked in an upset tone.

"No, Mark! For Christ's sake, no! What I'm saying is that the past can't be changed and we have to make the best of our present. Bad things happen, but good ones happen too, and we shouldn't let the bad ones overwhelm us in a way that impair us to see the light at the end of the tunnel." An exasperated Jinyoung argued as he sat up on the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. Mark looked away, as his eyes tried to get used to the light.

"Oh, and you're the fucking light at the end of the tunnel? How presumptuous of you to-"

"Our love is. Our friends, our family...And if you can't see that-"

"I can." Mark cut him off quickly and kissed his lips. "I can, believe me. I can. I'm just being unreasonable. I get cranky when I can’t sleep."

"I want you to be able to sleep again. I want to help you trust yourself, so you can genuinely trust your worries to me. I want us to be each other’s life support. Maybe we could legitimate our feelings through a symbolic act. What if we take advantage of this moment to make a blood pact? That’s right. Let's make a blood oath, Mark." He said in a hurry. His tone was solemn, as if he had just made a great discovery. He had finally stopped crying at that point.

"What do you mean?" The older was intrigued for a second.

"You swear to me that you will remain by my side no matter what your mom does, and I swear I'll never let you go, no matter what my grandfather does against us. But we’re not gonna use only our voices to agree with this kind of commitment. This pact must be etched in our minds, we have to make it unforgettable. This gotta be done properly, in a ceremony-like way, sacredly." The Korean said in a serious tone as he abruptly got up from the bed. The older eyed him quizzically as he swiftly got out of the room and returned with a kitchen knife.

"What the fuck is that?" He asked with alarm. He had eyes like saucers as he sat up further into the bed and his lover kneeled in front of him.

"Just chill. I'm just going to draw a bit of blood from your hand and then from mine. After that, we shake hands in order to mingle our blood. It's supposed to be an unbreakable vow. Don't tell me you're afraid of losing some drops of blood. I guarantee you that this simple act will build a deeper and meaningful spiritual connection between us. Our relationship will become indestructible, as well as our trust on each other." Jinyoung gave the older a hopeful look. The American simply huffed nervously.

"Our relationship is already pretty strong. This is childish. Come on, is that really necessary? I think you're going overboard with this blood oath thing. Can't we simply spit in our hands and shake them?" Mark suggested as he bit his lower lip a bit anxiously. He definitely did not think that cutting their own skin and mixing blood would make their bond stronger. It sounded nonsensical and a bit scary in his opinion.

"I love you, Mark. I would never put your life at risk, if that's what's worrying you. It's just a harmless small cut. Don't you trust me?" Jinyoung asked firmly and his magnetic gaze overwhelmed him.

"I love you and I trust you too, Nyoungie. However, when my boyfriend brings to bed a life-threatening sharp object, I'm entitled to feel a bit alarmed, don't you think? I mean, what if we cut too deep, or end up damaging a vital blood vessel or an artery? What about tetanus? Did you even sterilize the knife? I'm not sure I-"

"Who would have thought that Mark Tuan is squeamish about blood!" The younger commented amusedly. "Look, I'll do it first to myself. Then I can do it for you since you're so scared." Jinyoung suggested as he cocked his head to the side and studied his lover's apprehensive expression.

"I’m not scared! You are just acting bats-shit crazy. As far as I know, you don’t have any surgical training. What if we need stitches afterwards? Have you considered the risks? Have you ever done this before?" An uncertain Mark whispered, as he stared at the younger. There was no need to whisper, since they were the only ones in the house, but the idea of doing something so peculiar made him automatically lower his voice.

"No, I haven't done this before, and I surely don’t need to be a doctor to do this. I’m not Jack the Ripper either. It’s not like I intend to disembowel you or something.” The younger joked as the older gave him a disapproving look. Jinyoung took a deep breath and then his tone shifted to a more serious one. “The truth is I never felt inclined to pursue this kind of intimate union with anyone. You're the only person whom I've ever wanted to go this far. The only one I crave to have this kind of attachment. Your very presence strikes a chord in my life, Mark. I feel free whenever you are with me, as if nothing can hold me back. I was kind of lost before I met you and I only managed to find myself because of you. I was afraid of being trapped, but through you I found my release, and an unrestrained sort of balance. You make me happy." The younger’s voice was filled with honesty and determination. His lover sighed in defeat.

"Okay." Mark muttered as he looked down at his own hand and rubbed a finger against its palm.

"Really?" The Korean raised an eyebrow at him.

"Y-yeah. Just hurry, okay?" Mark said more forcefully but still a bit unsure.

"Listen, if you're really uncomfortable with it, let's forget-"

"Just do it, Jinyoungie." The older cut him off and offered his hand to the younger. The latter gave him a tiny smile, took his hand and carefully ran the edge of the blade across it without drawing blood. Mark's hand trembled with anticipation.

"Stay still, babe. You're in good hands. You're so brave, Markie. I wonder if there's anything you wouldn't do it for me. I’d do anything for you too, you know? We’re going to be together forever, you’ll see." The Korean said in a cooing voice, trying to distract the American from the pain, as he had managed to superficially open the skin of his lover's palm, enough to make it bleed nicely. The American closed his eyes, bit his lip and made an uncomfortable sound. However, he didn't take his hand away from the younger's grasp. "You see? It's a shallow cut, I'm not gonna let you bleed to death."

The American quietly opened his eyes again after a long minute. He watched as Jinyoung rested his bleeding hand on his lap and put the knife in his other hand. The Korean led his boyfriend's hand to deliver a small cut on his own palm. Mark barely put any strength on its handle, but the younger helped him make a clean cut, similar to his. The younger proceeded to link both their bleeding hands and press them together before giving his boyfriend a firm handshake. The older winced. Jinyoung asked Mark to lift his other hand and repeat after him the words he was about to pronounce. It was a symbolic oath he came up with at that very moment.

"From this moment on, no one, nor anything will tear us apart. No force in this world will break this bond, nor break the trust entangled in our hearts. This commitment is not sworn by the moon, for our vows are immune to its inconstancies and grey tunes. With this oath, our blood is freely shed, in our world, undying love is embedded. Now that our bodies are fully merged, we shall not ever fear death, for our souls are, from this moment on, eternally wed."

The focused American repeated the words after his lover as he interlaced his fingers with him. He wasn't sure why the younger proposed something ritualistic like that, but he loved the part he claimed they were wed. If that act brought some sort of reassurance to the Korean, Mark was okay with it. Maybe he needed that too.

"I'll get some alcohol to clean our cuts. We don't want them to get infected." Jinyoung announced, as he released his boyfriend's hand and moved to the side of the bed in order to get the first-aid kit in the bathroom. He was about to get up, but before he could leave the bed, the older held him back.

"That's it? All sacred unions between couples should be sealed with a kiss, don't you think?" The American finally relaxed, as he smiled at him fondly. He wondered why he was even frightened of that small ritual in the beginning. It was unusual, but memorable in a certain way. He felt like he had trusted his very being to his lover. Jinyoung returned the smile and approached his lover again to give him a kiss. However, when he leaned on to him, Mark offered the younger his bloody palm. "Won't you kiss it better first?"

"As you wish, my love." Jinyoung held his hand to him and descended his lips on the cut. A strange sensation took over Mark when he felt the younger lick the cut and gently press his lips against it. Mark also traced the cut on his boyfriend’s palm with his tongue. A shiver ran through his body when he tasted the younger’s blood. As soon as the Korean lifted his head to face the older, the latter couldn't help but gaze at his blood crimson mouth. The color looked sexy on him, too tempting. Those lips were asking to be ravished. Therefore, the older abruptly pushed him to the bed and climbed on top of him. Jinyoung was startled at first with the swift movement, but he didn't mind when his lover held his face with both hands and kissed him passionately. Mark could taste himself as his tongue explored Jinyoung’s mouth, deepening the kiss. With the pressure of his hand on the younger's face, the cut bled a little more and stained his lover's cheek. When he broke the kiss and studied the red liquid tint the pale, soft skin of Jinyoung's cheek, that very sight aroused him. Mark couldn't help but run his fingers over the bloody spots just before he started to abuse them with his mouth. Jinyoung gently pulled the older’s hair to free himself from his lover’s teeth. When he managed to make the other face him, his eyes locked with his. The Korean started to feel hot as he watched Mark lick his lips and smear some of the blood on his lips and neck. The gesture obviously awoke something primitive in Jinyoung. A nameless thirst for the American overwhelmed him. Within a second, he flipped him over, made the older lie on his back and climbed on top of him. “Blood actually turns you on, huh?” Jinyoung teased, as he grabbed the kitchen knife that was forgotten between the pillows and pressed it lightly against his boyfriend's neck. A thrilled Mark moaned when he felt the cold edge of the blade threaten to scratch the sensitive skin. He willingly waited for whatever his lover was about to do.

Jinyoung slowly ran the spine of the knife along his boyfriend's chest, pausing its tip on one of his nipples. Mark's breathing raced, when the younger made invisible circles around it, teasing his still clothed skin.

"Are you going to stab me with your blade, Nyoungie?" The American questioned, as he rubbed his leg against the obvious hard-on between his lover's thighs. The younger groaned loudly but managed to answer him.

"Are you curious to know how deep my blade can penetrate you?" He gladly played along. He liked kinky Mark.

"Be an artist and hold your blade like a paintbrush, control its movements as a skilled painter, and handle me as your precious canvas." Mark said, as he ran his fingers along the edge of the knife. A smirking Jinyoung gazed at him with an irresistible urge to tear all his clothes off.

"We should get rid of this clothing first, do you mind?" Jinyoung asked sexily as he gripped the front of his tank top and made a slight attempt to rip it apart. He placed the blade against his shoulder and checked for the American’s reaction. Mark nodded quickly, giving him permission to dispose of it.

"Go ahead." The elder encouraged him, as an unknown euphoria seemed to overtake him.

"Do not flinch, and don't make a single movement. A canvas don't move. Unless it wants to fuck up the artist's piece. Promise to stay still?" The Korean whispered, yearning for his boyfriend's consent. He knew he was demanding a great amount of trust from his boyfriend and he wouldn't proceed if the older feared for his safety. He wanted to know if his boyfriend was indeed ready to travel that road with him.

"I promise." Mark bit his lip and trusted his body to the younger’s care.

Jinyoung started to cut off part of his tank top with confident movements. Mark tried not to quiver as he felt the cold steel brush his ribs. When Jinyoung managed to completely cut the fabric, he marveled at his boyfriend's naked chest. He carefully pulled the knife in measured light strokes across his naked skin. Mark moaned loudly as he felt Jinyoung kiss both his nipples and give it a little suck.

"I need to add some vivid pigment on my canvas." Jinyoung announced as he studied Mark's response. "Is that okay?"

"Canvases don't speak nor move. You are the artist. I'm at your mercy to do whatever your creativity allows you to. I don't have a say in my artist's brushstrokes." The older answered with boldness and determination. He knew Jinyoung meant to draw more blood from him, and he didn’t intend to stop him. He didn’t want to stop any of it.

"Let's say you are a speaking canvas. I need you to be a speaking canvas. We can only continue if you communicate with me, okay? I mean it. I must know how far we are going with this. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable through with any of it. This is supposed to be harmless, exciting and fun. We both should enjoy it. It's not right if I'm the only one into it." Jinyoung said seriously, as he locked eyes with the American.

"I wonder if an artist chat so much with his canvas before applying some color to it." The older snorted.

"Well, I'm that kind of artist, so yeah." Jinyoung commented as he leaned on him and kissed his lips.

"Are we talking about a safe word?" Mark seemed to consider his words.

"That would be wise." Jinyoung nodded.

"I think a simply 'stop' will do, don't you think?" The American suggested and the younger smiled excitedly at him.

"Is it okay if I tie your hands?" The younger asked, as he noticed Mark's eyes widen, his pupils change and a little gasp escape from his throat.

"Please do." The older whispered as he licked his lips in anticipation.

The Korean collected the remains of Mark's tank top and used them to tie his boyfriend's wrists together and place it above his head. The older eyed every single gesture of his lover with blinding interest. Exhilaration consumed him because he did not know what the Korean was going to do to him.

Jinyoung didn’t take too long to ruin his underwear. The knife took care of it. Mark swallowed when he felt the steel brush against his groin and free his erect penis from the growing tightness of the garment. Since the American wasn’t wearing any pants, within a second, the younger managed to get rid of all the fabric covering his body. Soon Mark was stark naked under his lover’s magnetic gaze. He grunted and observed in awe his state. The Korean’s knife made red ridges against his hips as shallow cuts formed there. Jinyoung bled and licked him. A thin line of blood trickled from the younger’s lips as he stared down at him. Jinyoung crawled upon him to face his lover again. His crimson lips brushed over Mark’s temple, down to his ear to nibble at it. He colored his lover with his own blood as he leaned forward and nuzzled the side of his neck. The Korean smiled at how easily his boyfriend’s head fell to the side to give him better access. He promised himself to leave hickeys there and quickly honored his silent vow. He knew Mark wanted that as much as him. Their little ceremony was far from reaching its end. His hands stroked his sides and travelled down to his lower body. He kept a firm grasp on the older’s knee while drawing the knife along his inner thigh. Jinyoung put the knife aside for a moment just to manhandle him. He suddenly flipped the American around to lay on his stomach. He kissed his nape, slapped his butt cheeks and told the older to get on all fours. Mark obediently did what he was told and groaned loudly as soon as he felt a pair of lips licking around his ass cheeks. The younger roughly spread his lover’s butt cheeks wide, and slowly massaged his hungry hole, before plunging his tongue inside, setting a faster pace. Jinyoung kept smacking his ass cheeks as much as he kept tongue fucking him. The American’s erection wasn’t even touched, but he was almost on the edge. His back arched and his heartbeats quickened, not from discomfort, but from arousal. The pleasure flooded his senses, his mind almost went blank from it. As if Jinyoung could tell that he wouldn’t last long, he buried his face as far into Mark’s anus as he could, eagerly fucking his asshole, and skillfully hitting the familiar sweet spot inside his boyfriend. His hand finally reached for Mark’s prone erection, teasing its tip. Mark panted hard, and whimpered. His sultry noises became a mess of pleading and whining.

That was enough of foreplay for Jinyoung. The Korean removed his mouth from his hole and swiftly pushed his own pants down, just enough to release his hard cock. All the older wanted was for the Korean to thrust into him without mercy, filling him with one hard push. Jinyoung knew exactly how he wanted to be taken. He snarled as he grabbed his hips possessively and slowly entered him. Without lube, the older took a minute to get used to the intrusion. He knew he would be pretty sore later, but he didn’t complain when he felt Jinyoung push his cock in and out of him. Jinyoung pulled Mark’s hair and smacked his ass hard, making him yelp before groaning in pleasure from it. The older could only think of one request. "Please, do it again." Jinyoung’s eyes glittered as the older swallowed harshly, trying to get the single syllable past his lips. “Please.”

Jinyoung smacked his ass again, this time using the handle of the knife. Mark’s throat was raw with muted screams as his body threatened to come undone. Jinyoung removed his cock from his behind, and decided to change positions again. He wanted to see Mark’s face as he reached his orgasm. So he rolled him over and made him lay on his back again. He parted his thighs and placed himself between them. He spread Mark’s leg’s wider and studied his boyfriend’s state. The disheveled American looked extremely excited and even more fuckable than when he was on all fours. His skin had a nice shade of pink due to the spanking and the bloodletting. The sheets around them were a bloody mess. Jinyoung was about to lose his mind. He grabbed the knife one more time. Mark tried to keep still, mindful of the blade that was placed near his throat. He groaned when Jinyoung reintroduced his entire length into his tight hole all at once. His pulse raced as he eyed the knife close to his neck. Jinyoung held the blade with a careful balance of pressure, keeping it close enough to his lover’s skin to be acutely felt, but not to cut it. That was a dangerous spot to explore with a knife, so Jinyoung was extra careful every time the older squirmed with pleasure as he fucked him into oblivion. "Babe, I'm gonna come and dye your insides with me…Fuck, you’re such a delicious canvas. You feel so perfect underneath me, my love. How do you like my brushstrokes?" His racy voice was low and deep. Mark wasn’t able to answer him. Arousal, fulfillment, liberation, and an arresting feeling of submission warred for control in his chest as the deep penetration brushed his prostrate.

“I’m close.” The American hissed as he realized he was about to come even though his cock wasn’t being stimulated. The fact that his hands were tied, that a knife kept scratching him all over, and that his lover’s thrusts inside him never felt so intense, were enough to get him off. One of Jinyoung’s hand abruptly closed over his throat. The grip wasn’t too tight. His airway was not cut off, nor his chest was burning from the need to breathe yet. Mark’s mouth dropped open on a silent scream but it wasn't pain he felt. It was pure ecstasy. The thrill, pleasure, and fear hit him all at once, as he cried out loud. Mark threw his head back and screamed the younger's name as his climax hit him at full force. Every nerve ending in his body was electrified, as his muscles clenched and raw lust ate at him. His cum mixed with the spots of blood on his skin. He couldn’t tell if the blood was from the cuts opened in his body or Jinyoung’s wounded hand. He could feel the knife bite into his neck slightly, as Jinyoung's control slipped for a moment while ejaculating inside him. The younger groaned, as his seed slowly filled Mark and he rode out his orgasm. The panting Korean was still inside the older when he drew him close and kissed the small cut on his neck. He tilted Mark’s face up to his, to check if he was all right. He searched for signs of shame, deception, regret, pain, and even fear, but he found none. His boyfriend’s expression was delightful. **His c** hest heaving like he had just ran a marathon. The relieved and satisfied Korean went limp as he removed his cock from his lover’s hole and laid beside him. Jinyoung kept his boyfriend close, surrounding him with his scent and warmth. He would never have imagined that their symbolic ceremony would escalate into an edge play kind of scenery.

“I love you. Thank you, this was…” Mark whispered, unable to find an adjective for the experience he just went through. He blinked several times and tried to control his breathing, while the other ran his fingers along his face. He felt all his insecurities drift away.

“Indescribable, right? Thank you for trusting me so blindly. You’re part of me now, Mark. You and me, we are one. I’ll love you forever, babe.” Jinyoung said softly as he untied his wrists. Each word was like a caress on his lover’s sensitive skin. As soon as his arms were free, the American was finally able to touch the younger. His fingers grasped the Jinyoung’s chin, jerking him up to look directly into his eyes. It was like the Korean’s magnetic orbs screamed ‘Yours’. And Mark knew that already. Jinyoung was completely **his,** and his very existence belonged to Jinyoung. They were a percentage of each other now. They ran through each other’s veins. They were bonded forever. No one could change that. Neither Jinyoung’s grandfather nor Dorine were obstacles anymore. Nothing was.

“We are wed.” Mark whispered, remembering their oath. He could still feel his boyfriend’s semen pouring out of him, slick pooling on the sheets. He wished it wouldn’t leave him. Mark had tasted his cum before, and now his blood. Jinyoung had profoundly dyed him with his fluids, painted him with all the colors of love in his palette. Mark had never exchanged blood with someone, and although the simply thought of it sounded ludicrous a few hours earlier, now he felt like he would never experience something quite like that. They had explored an unknown side of each other, and he enjoyed how the younger seemed to often push him to his limits. The safe word was never used. Actually, he didn’t think it was really necessary, since the Korean always made the right moves and knew how to satisfy him thoroughly. He had no idea how much that pact could really influence their relationship. Nevertheless, he was sure they were properly connected now, in a more spiritual level. He ran his hand through Jinyoung’s tousled hair and gazed at him lovingly.

“We are wed.” Jinyoung repeated, as he brought Mark’s cut hand to his lips again and licked the dried blood in it. Mark did the same with his cut hand. They licked each other’s wounds, and tasted their blood come together inside their mouths, as they quickly locked their lips and started a new lovemaking session. Jinyoung finally removed all his stained clothes and Mark was able to touch him freely. This time, there was no spanking, no hair pulling, no tied limbs, no knife play, nor rough penetration involved. They made love slowly and tenderly. Consummating their immortal devotion for each other.

The couple felt inseparable now, and they were going to show the world that nothing could stand against that undeniable fact. They had made their last and everlasting vow, and they didn’t swear by the moon, for they had completely turned into each other’s private madness **.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are not Romeo and Juliet, yorubun!  
> Nobody died! Thankfully.  
> LOL  
> Sorry for the delay folks and thanks for supporting this fic.  
> I read all the comments and I try to reply as soon as I read them. But sometimes I read them too late. Hope you guys can forgive me!  
> Take care and be safe!<3
> 
> P.S  
> I have been following the news, and even though the pandemic is taking over the world, even though knees are still violating people's right to breathe, it's clear that some human beings are still willing to stand up against injustice and change society for the better.  
> 2020 shall not be forgotten.  
> I wanna leave here a shout out to all my black sisters and brothers out there. I know that every single day is a new battle. History has been hard on you. Stay strong and never give up!  
> No justice, no peace.  
> BLM.
> 
> “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.


	57. Between Security & Insecurity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here I go again  
> The darkness comes in my mind again   
> I stumble   
> And our dreams fade away   
> We have to get away from it   
> Before the darkness swallows us   
> Struggle for the win   
> Find the balance   
> I won’t let go of the light called “you”   
> I’m gonna win this fight...
> 
> -Eclipse by Got7

It was early morning when Jinyoung and Mark heard insistent knocks on the front door. They immediately got up from the bed, both wondering who could be outside. Jackson was supposed to meet them there, but anyone could've followed him. _What if it was the police? Or some of JYP's thugs?_

Since the Korean didn’t have anything else to wear, he quickly put on his blood stained clothes that were scattered on the floor, while Mark put on the pants he luckily didn't wear last night when he went to bed. If he had worn them, they would have been ripped to pieces just like the tank top and underwear his lover destroyed during their 'ceremony'. The couple didn't look presentable, but they had at least bandaged their wounds and wiped the vestiges of blood off their faces last night. Jinyoung thought of calling the Hongkonger to make sure it was him outside, but both his and Mark's phone were dead and he didn't remember to put a charger inside the car when he left the dorm in a hurry.

"Let me check who it is first. It could be dangerous. You should go back to the bedroom and hide under the bed for now." A nervous Jinyoung stated, as he saw Mark follow him to the living room.

"Right. Because you're so much stronger than me, aren't you? I bet you can beat the crap out of all the bad guys out there." Mark mocked, rolling his eyes at him.

"Well, even though I'm the arsonist here, the cops aren't after me. I'm not the American trainee who supposedly set the mansion on fire and assaulted the CEO of JYP Entertainment. Remember?" Jinyoung said sarcastically as he turned to him.

"What makes you think they won't search the place even without a warrant and kneel on your neck till you tell them where I am? You're hiding a suspect, so I'm not the only one who supposedly broke the law." The agitated American raised an eyebrow at him and threw his hands in an exasperated manner.

"That’s absurd. This is not America, Mark. And I'm not a nobody either. I am Park Jinyoung, AKA, Junior. I don't have a freaking black belt in martial arts, but I've got the influence and money. How about that?" The younger said in a challenging voice and folded his arms across his chest. His boyfriend gave him a dirty look.

Before the American could give him a response, shouts and curses coming from outside the door startled them.

"Wake the fuck up, you two!" The familiar accent brought relief to their expressions. Jinyoung smirked at Mark and finally went to open the door for his best friend. To Jinyoung's surprise, he wasn't alone.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" When the Korean opened the door, his smirk disappeared. Right there, beside Jackson was Eric Nam. Perhaps, he'd be more comfortable if it was the police, Dorine, or even his grandfather there, instead of his boyfriend's ex. He wasn't in the mood to play the good host, and it didn’t help the fact that the idol had seen him cry when they found Mark unconscious at the dorm. He was obviously ashamed, and he didn’t expect to see him so soon.

"Look, I wouldn't bring him here if it wasn't important. He went to see Mark's mom and..." Jackson frowned and paused for a minute as he eyed the state of his friend's clothes. "Is that ketchup, or you suddenly decided to paint the walls of your grandma's house out of boredom?" 

"Were you followed?" Jinyoung inquired as he ignored his friend's question and stared coldly at the idol. Jackson simply shook his head.

"Good morning to you too." Eric said, but he didn't sound too friendly either. When Jackson tried to walk past the Korean and enter the house, Jinyoung blocked his path.

"Aren't you gonna let us in? And while you're at it, will you please convince me this is not blood before I start freaking out here?" Jackson said, as he examined the Korean's shirt closer and grabbed his bandaged hand. The Korean almost winced, but ignored his friend's hushed questions one more time.

"You can come in, but your boyfriend stays outside." Jinyoung stated. Eric huffed and Jackson gave him a ludicrous look.

"Don't start, Jin. He needs to talk to Mark. I mean, in case he's still alive in there!" Jackson retorted, losing his patience. He shifted to Mandarin as he started shouting Mark's name. "Yi-en can you please come here and beat some sense into your lunatic lover?"

It didn't take long for a confused Mark to show up at the door wrapped around a blanket.

"What's going on?" Mark asked, but he suddenly became mute as he realized Eric was also there. The blanket he was using to cover his naked chest carelessly fell on the floor and the scratches made on his ribs, right below his tattoo were displayed. The small cut on his neck, and marks of bite all around his torso were easily detected by their horrified guests. Nam gasped and seemed to freeze. Jackson eyed the older's left hand and realized it was bandaged just like Jinyoung's. A wave of anger ran through him. He simply saw red. Jinyoung was taken aback by the strength of his friend's punch. The first impact was as painful as the first and the third, when he helplessly fell on the floor. The Korean tried to protect his face but it was in vain. He heard hurried voices telling his attacker to stop, but he became dizzy when the Hongkonger's fist hit a spot a little above his jaw, very close to his ear. He felt like blacking out.

"Get the fuck away from my brother!" It was the last urgent voice he heard before fainted.

A few minutes later, Jinyoung tried to open his eyes again, he was lying on the couch. His whole face ached, and he felt a hand slowly caressing the top of his head. It wasn't Mark's. He could tell. Jinyoung blinked twice and tried to focus. But there was an ice pack pressed against the side of his face. He struggled to remember how he ended up on that couch. But he could only recall Jackson's fists colliding against his jaw. He made a painful sound, and suddenly the weight of the ice on his cheek was removed. His vision became clearer and he quickly realized there was a crowd in the living room of his grandmother's house. His head was lying on Jaebeom's lap and the other kids were also there on the living room with apprehensive looks on their faces. When they realized Jinyoung was awake they hushed to his side and started talking to him hurriedly. He didn't see any sign of Mark nor of Jackson, but he got a glimpse of Eric pacing around the room. He looked worried.

"Hey, Jin. You all right? Do you need to go to a hospital?" His twin's voice was strained, and anxious. Youngjae, Bambam and Yugyeom crouched in front of the sofa to check on him.

"Nah! I'm fine." He managed to say, but that simply action made his jaw hurt. "How come you are all here?"

"We followed Jackson. He looked suspicious when he got into Eric's Maserati. Bambam kinda guessed that something was up." Yugyeom answered him, as he patted the Thai boy on the back. “He’s never wrong about Jackson hyung.

"Where's him by the way? Did he leave?" Jinyoung asked abruptly.

"He’s in the backyard with Mark. He needed to cool the fuck down. Your boyfriend is watching him." An annoyed Jaebeom replied as he carefully touched the side of his brother's face. "I can't believe he dared to hit you. Are you sure you don't need a doctor?"

"Relax, there’s no need for a doctor.” He dismissed his brother’s words with a wave of his hand. “I’ve been waiting for his punches for a while. He’s entitled to his anger. I know why he did it. I deserved it. I’m surprised it didn’t happen earlier.” Jinyoung sighed, lifted his head up from his twin's lap and sat beside him.

"What did you do? Did you really make those cuts on Mark?" Youngjae stared at him awkwardly.

"Oh, you saw those? They are not a big deal, really. I mean, judging by the way he screamed while I was making them, it was quite a big fucking deal for him, but they are not life-threatening." A seemingly indifferent Jinyoung shook his head. His friends were speechless, but he continued. "Damn, I already told him that walking around shirtless would only cause trouble. He never learns. But since it's my fault he had nothing else to put on, I won't blame him this time." The young Lim smirked as he glanced at his brother. The latter scowled. Yugyeom was agape. Youngjae was wide-eyed. Their Thai friend quickly caught on to what his words could mean and tried to hide his amusement.

"What the actual fuck is that supposed to mean? You purposefully cut his skin?” Eric eyed him quizzically as he approached the couch.

“Just chill, Eric. They probably just had another fight again. I bet this time it was pretty savage.” Bambam commented, with a tinge of malice in his tone. The others looked away, suddenly a bit uncomfortable.

“There was no fight. It was all consensual and amicable. I can assure you he didn’t complain when my big knife entered him.” Jinyoung licked his lips as he gave the idol a provocative look. Eric swiftly towered over him, but Jaebeom quickly stood up and gave the older a little push.

“He’s doing it on purpose, relax. I think he’s already pretty hurt, don’t you think?” Jaebeom asked firmly, as he faced Nam. “Whatever they did together, as long as it was consensual, and apparently it was, it’s none of our business. “Now I’m gonna have to ask you to take one step back.”

“I don’t know what your perverted twin is inducing Mark to do, but I won’t let this irresponsible, sniveling child drive him to a dangerous path of self-harming. He’s unstable, he’s not good for him.” Eric stated, without moving. He wasn’t intimidated by JB’s antagonizing stare. Jinyoung grimaced at the word ‘sniveling’, but he hid his discomfort. He didn’t move from the sofa, he didn’t really think the idol would take a swing at him. He wasn’t the type. Besides, JB was there to block him.

“Are you deaf? Back off, Nam. I’m not letting you touch my brother, okay? I’m not kidding!” Jaebeom repeated with more annoyance in his voice, as he brought his face even closer to the idol’s. Yugyeom and Bambam tensed. Youngjae took a hold of JB’s arm and whispered to him to calm down.

“I just want this stupid kid to explain to me why he’s harming someone he claims to love. Mark already has plenty of issues, he obviously doesn’t need one more.” A incensed Eric retorted, as his eyes travelled from Jaebeom to his brother.

“Come on, man! It was just kinky sex! You got it now? It might even improve Mark hyung’s mental health. I heard it’s therapeutic.” Bambam exclaimed, as he watched the scene escalate to a competition of testosterone levels.

“I don’t think Mark sees it that way! Jinyoung, don’t you see that this little fantasy of yours might take a dark turn once your boyfriend finds a new way of self-destruction?” Eric gritted his teeth as he glared at the young Lim. JB didn’t flinch as he remained immobile between the two.

“I’m not sure I follow you.” Jinyoung stood up this time and furrowed his brows. He pushed his brother aside and for the first time since the idol had entered that house, Jinyoung seemed to be interested in what the older had to say.

“Back in LA, Mark turned to alcohol when he was dealing with his father and brother’s death. He was addicted to it! I made sure he didn’t drink himself to oblivion at that dreadful time. It was his way to cope. But he never came to terms with any of it. He never forgave himself, Dorine only made things worse. She messed with his head pretty badly. Mark never found closure. He doesn’t think he was ever punished for destroying his family. And this thought is seared in his fucking brain. That enormous guilt refuses to abandon him and he holds on to it for dear life. He’s convinced that he deserves to remember his crime for the rest of his days. It fucking rules all the decisions he makes in his life. He’s haunted by that tragedy. He’s haunted by his past. He might look all right to you now, but once you find him anything else to deal with the darkness inside of him, you’d better know how to get rid of it when things start getting chaotic.” Eric warned as he turned around and sat down on the opposite couch. Jinyoung didn’t know how to respond to that. He hated Eric more than anything at that moment, especially because he could be right about the American. The idol knew a Mark he never got to meet before. Eric knew a Mark that he might never be able to reach. A disquietude suddenly sank in him.

Meanwhile, two foreigners were having a heart-to-heart at the backyard and one of them was stunned when he heard the news about the counselor of Kirin High.

“Dorine says she wants to make peace, and Eric believed it?” The American made a face, as he plucked some grass from the velvety green lawn underneath their bodies. They laid side by side, as they stared at the impeccable blue sky above them. The sun bathed every inch of their bodies indiscriminately. Mark was still shirtless, and he didn’t care how bad those marks Jinyoung made on him could look. He didn’t have time to think about them. He had dragged the Hongkonger to that backyard after he managed to get him off Jinyoung. Jaebeom had failed to do it, and so did the others. The American was the only one who was able to successfully break up the fight once he immobilized the furious Hongkonger. The older thought the quietness of the backyard would help cool him down, and somehow it did. Mark explained to Jackson about the cuts. It was embarrassing to describe to the Hongkonger how and why they were made. But the American didn’t think the other would judge him for it. Jackson knew him and Jinyoung intimately. That kind of ‘activity’ shouldn’t shock the Hongkonger, at least that was what he thought. Jackson wasn’t happy to hear about their ceremony last night, so he did his best to change the subject of their conversation. He told Mark he had gone to see his mom at the hospital, but he met Eric at the entrance and the idol begged him to reveal his whereabouts. Jackson swore to the American that he wasn’t going to do it, but when Eric said he had visited Dorine and that he had an important message to deliver to him, he couldn’t keep quiet anymore. Then the two of them drove there.

“Your mother called him because she wanted to apologize in person for being an obstacle for you both in the past. According to Eric, she’s not going to interfere in your love life anymore, but she still needs to see you.” Jackson clarified, and the American could already imagine why she wanted to see him in such a hurry.

“She’s plotting something! Of course she is! My mother is trying to make me go back to Eric so I can give up on Jinyoung.” Mark didn’t know if he should be happy or mad about the situation, his mother was alive and kicking, but he was convinced she wasn’t going to make things easy for him and Jinyoung. He struggled to remind himself that nothing could break them apart anymore. They were wed, they were one.

“Mark, this is nonsense.” A bitter Jackson commented and then raised an eyebrow at him. “Actually, I cannot blame her. Jinyoung is an asshole. If I were in her shoes, I’d probably choose Eric as my son-in-law too.”

“Jack, don’t be like that! I already told you that Jin and I were just exploring. He didn’t force me to enjoy anything, I simply did, enormously. And I wouldn’t mind doing it again. I’ve never experienced such a kind of liberating feeling-”

“Yeah, because you’re fucking crazy, that’s why.” Jackson said, shaking his head in disapproval. “Well, I’m also to blame anyways. I can imagine where he might’ve picked up this ‘extreme’ idea.

“What do you mean?” Mark asked curiously.

“Have you ever been to a BDSM convention? Well, I took Jinyoung to one of these. I was just curious about the stuff that happens inside these places. I had no intention of buying any toys or anything like that. But Jinyoung was excited about it, so he fond us some fake IDs and we got in. Soon we were approached by a nice gay couple, they were older than us, obviously, maybe in their 30’s. We talked, had some laughs. Jin and I pretended we were experienced in all kinds of shit they kept discussing about. Your boyfriend got high, I didn’t. We never know what kind of weirdos we can find at those places, right? I had to look after both of our asses. Long story short, the four of us ended up naked in a hotel room. One of the guys blindfolded and gagged the other and told us to flog his partner. Jinyoung and I refused, of course. So the guy started whipping his lover’s back, and his lover, who was on all fours in the bed, seemed to enjoy it. We just watched the scene in absolute awe on the corner of the room. We have watched porn before, but being part of some heavy BDSM scene wasn’t something we were prepared to do.” The Hongkonger paused for a moment as he realized how naïve and risky was the occasion.

“You guys went to a hotel with a gay couple you found at a BDSM convention and you expected to have an ordinary foursome?” Mark clicked his tongue and shook his head at him in amusement.

“But what really terrified us was when the guy who was dominating the other pulled a scalpel out of his pocket, cut his partner’s thigh and started licking the blood escaping from his wounds. I was seriously trying to decide whether I should call the cops or a fucking ambulance. I genuinely thought we were going to be killed that day. I quickly got dressed. I had to basically help Jinyoung put his clothes back on, ‘cause he was tripping most of the time. I guess the pair of weirdos realized how freaked out we were, so they stopped their ‘scene’ and told us that no one was getting hurt, and that we shouldn’t leave so early because they wanted to teach us a couple of things. I was already shoving Jinyoung out of the door when he turned to the guy holding the scalpel and suddenly asked him how it felt like to drink his partner’s blood. The guy just told him it felt like the ‘rawest kind of true love’. After that absurd answer, we ran out of that hotel and never looked back. I was just relieved we got out there alive.” Jackson huffed a laugh as he remembered the scene. Out of all the crazy things he and Jinyoung had done, that one had to be the most daunting up till now.

“I’m sure they weren’t weirdos. Just exotic.” The older chuckled. “Shit, I wish I had a friendship like you two have. I guess it’s never boring when you guys are together.” Mark commented, wondering if Jinyoung’s idea of a blood oath was somehow borrowed from this thrilling adventure.

“It’s never boring indeed. But that’s only because I know how to put a stop to his psychotic behavior when it’s necessary. It’s just sad to see you let him manipulate you into this suicidal shit. It’s fucked up, Mark. And you know it.” Jackson sounded disappointed.

“You’re being prejudicial. It’s just blood play. No one is actually getting hurt. He’s not trying to kill me, nor I’m asking to be killed.” Mark sighed and continued. “Not long ago you were the guy who was having threesomes with your best friend and random strangers you guys picked up in gay bars. You have just narrated one of your adventures in a BDSM convention! If that random couple didn’t freak you out, you guys would have had an orgy in that hotel room. You know, some people might find this practice really fucked up too.” Mark argued.

“Well, whoever thinks like that is an idiot! They don’t know what they’re missing. Only the chosen ones are able to find the real fun in a three way arrangement.” Jackson’s playful tone seemed to be back as he turned his head to the side and winked at the American.

“Exactly. And only the chosen ones can understand what it means to love two people at the same time.” Mark said as he faced him and met his eyes. A gleam in the American’s gaze caught him by surprise. The Hongkonger frowned at his words.

“Mark?” Jackson muttered, a bit unsure of how that sentence should be interpreted. However, the older only brought their faces even closer and gave him a peck on the lips. The wide-eyed Hongkonger was even more startled, but he didn’t move.

“I’m sorry for everything. I know you were just looking after me, but you don’t have to. Jin and I understand each other. Don’t be mad at us, okay?” Mark gave him a tiny smile and got up. “We should get inside and join the others. Come on.” He said as he offered him a hand to help him stand up. Jackson swallowed, and tried to register what had just happened. A conflict seemed to be taking over his mind. _Should he pretend that kiss meant nothing? Should he take that kiss as a friendly gesture?_

“You go ahead. I’ll stay here a bit more. I’ll meet you inside in a while.” The disconcerted Hongkonger said awkwardly, as he looked away. The American nodded as if nothing had happened and went to join the others.

“Are you ready to leave? Your mom asked me to bring you to her, she almost begged me to.” Eric said as soon as Mark entered the living room. The American took a deep breath as he tried to get mentally ready to deal with JYP and his mom.

“Okay. Let’s go then. Eventually, I would have to face that cunt. It can’t be helped. It’s about time I stop running away from Dorine Tuan.” Mark’s harsh words took everyone in the room by surprise.

“Listen, I know her, and I know what she’s capable of. I wouldn’t come all the away to Jinhae-gu and try to convince you to see her if I didn’t think she meant what she said. She sounded ‘serene’ somehow and I know it’s hard to believe the idea of a serene Dorine, but I feel in my gut that she’s for real. That’s why I had to come here in person. I came to tell you that I am positive that this long-standing feud between two is about to come to an end.” Eric argued, as he explained himself to the teenager.

“Wow, Dorine wants to make peace with me? She yearns for a beautiful reconciliation between mother and son? Sounds neat to me. Only you are naïve enough to believe that.” Mark said sarcastically, as he bit his lower lip and walked to the couch Jinyoung was sitting. The younger looked pitiful still holding an ice pack against his cheek. The American sat on one of his legs and examined the damage closer. He tried to ignore Eric’s scrutinizing stare. He had been ignoring his calls. He had been ignoring the fact that the idol was the only one in that room which made him feel self-conscious. When he saw Eric at the door, all he could think was how badly his ex would judge him for all the mess he got involved with this time. He still remembered what the idol told him when he hid at his house after his mother’s disappearance. ‘ _You're allowing this kid to take control of your life! You became a criminal because of him! He's the reason why you weren't able to have a proper relationship with Jackson, and he's the reason why your mom left.’_ Mark knew Eric had his reasons to think like that, but he was tired of defending Jinyoung from his shallow judgment. That’s why he ignored Eric’s existence since Dorine fell from those stairs at the old dorm and ended up in a hospital. He knew Jackson had probably told the idol what happened, and Mark feared that his ex would assume that Jinyoung had convinced him to get rid of his mother once and for all. He would always assume the worst when it came to Jinyoung.

“Is Jack still mad?” Jinyoung asked abruptly, interrupting his angsty thoughts.

“He’ll come around.” His boyfriend assured him.

“I guess you both should get cleaned up. We brought clean clothes. We didn’t know if it was necessary, but I’m glad we did.” Yugyeom commented as he handed Mark a backpack.

“Thanks, kid. You’re a very thoughtful dongsaeng.” Mark gave him the thumbs up but then his eyes dropped. “Promise me you’ll visit me in jail?” The older didn’t know what would happen to him as soon as he returned Seoul. He just hoped he would still be able to keep his friends close. The maknae gave him a confused look.

“You’re not going to jail, babe. I’ve just heard from our friends the latest updates on JYP’s case. It turns out you’re not the only North American in JYPE dorms. The assault was real, but whoever did that to grandpa is already paying for it, unfortunately. I mean, this kid doesn’t deserve to do time, he deserves a fucking medal!” The young Lim joked, but his twin glared at him. His boyfriend was astonished by his revelation. Everyone in the room could tell he was surprised.

“Jack didn’t tell you? The police already arrested the American trainee! There’s absolutely no reason for you to hide in here. You just assumed they were talking about you on news, but they weren’t. I mean, I understand why you would think all of this was a scheme to get you in trouble, but it wasn’t. No one is after you. You’re free, man!” Bambam exclaimed excitedly. The American could hardly believe the amount of ‘good news’ at the same time. At some point he believed that if he was arrested, he wouldn’t have to see his mom at the hospital. But that wasn’t the case anymore. It made him sick to his stomach the fact that nothing was stopping him from returning to Seoul and listening to what Dorine had to say to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update!


	58. DYE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you’re useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose.”  
> ― Sabaa Tahir

“Well, I wasn’t the only one who assumed they were talking about me on TV, right JB?” Mark accusatory tone made his stepbrother sigh. It was the first time he addressed the other Lim since he entered the room. JB was ready to explain himself, but Mark didn’t seem to give him much credit.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? We were on the phone when you told me grandfather stopped by the dorm, and then I saw those news on TV and I-”

“You really thought I would beat the shit out of your grandfather!? Wow, I must indeed look like a gangster to you, right?” Mark sneered. “I would love to kick the old man’s ass, but that wouldn’t solve my problems. How the hell would that benefit any of us anyways? I just wished that at least my freaking stepbrother would stop assuming the worst about me! I already had to put up with a lot of this shit back in America.” Mark harshly cut him off and stared hard at him. Jaebeom was rendered speechless. Jinyoung felt Mark tense on his leg. He wondered if he should be worried. Eric frowned at his ex’s sudden bad mood, but it was someone else who decided to speak up.

“You don’t have to be so irritated. We all know you’re not afraid to use your fists. We all remember what happened with the soccer team of Kirin High. By the way, Jaebeom wasn’t the only one who assumed the worst. Jinyoung and Eric also run to our dorm once they saw the news.” Youngjae pointed out. He didn’t want JB to look like the only shitty friend in that room.

“I knew Mark couldn’t have done it. I just went there because I knew everybody would think he was the one who did it. I wanted to protect him.” Eric defended himself quickly. Mark sighed as he heard the honesty in his words. A few years ago, Eric was present when Mark promised Joey he wouldn’t use his fists anymore. And Eric was also aware that Mark only broke his promise after he met Jinyoung, to protect him. Breaking the CEO bones wouldn’t protect the young Lim from anything.

“Well, I set the fire. So I obviously knew it couldn’t have been Mark.” Jinyoung commented cynically. Mark eyed him, as if he tried to read his very soul.

“What about the assault? You were sure he wasn’t the one who did it?” Yugyeom gave him a knowing look.

“Let’s say I would have been pleased to know that he was the one who did it. Nevertheless, I imagined grandfather was just fucking with our minds, as always. Can’t say I’m sad some dude fucked him up instead.” Jinyoung said jokingly and his boyfriend smacked his arm. The young Lim eyed the older suggestively.

“Let’s leave the violence for the bedroom, babe. I haven’t recovered from yesterday night yet.” The Korean said shamelessly and blinked at his lover, as the others made uncomfortable sounds in the living room. A blushing Mark immediately got up, grabbed the backpack Yugyeom handed to him and went to the bathroom.

"What did I miss?" Jackson asked as he appeared in the living room. His eyes immediately travelled to his battered best friend. The latter just gave him a tiny smile.

"Just a bit of drama, as usual. But everything is fine. Almost everything." Jinyoung replied as he beckoned him. The others just observed their interaction silently.

"Are you okay?" The Hongkonger approached the couch tentatively. Jaebeom who was sitting right beside his twin looked up, ready to interfere in case Jackson decided to start a new round. He felt like his brother private bodyguard that day. Everyone seemed to want a piece of him. The funny part was that he couldn’t blame any of them.

"Fabulous." The young Lim smirked and signaled the other to take a seat by his side. Jackson shook his head and offered him a hand.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up. We cannot let you go back to Seoul looking like you were ran over by a train." Jackson said looking a bit remorseful. He was never a violent person, but he would go to great lengths in order to protect the ones he loved, even if it meant hurting someone he also loved. He was not proud of himself for what he did to Jinyoung, but a certain kiss that happened minutes ago made him feel even guiltier.

"Yeah, you guys do that. Kiss and make up while you’re at it. I'm gonna go talk to him.” JB announced as stood up from the couch. Although his words yearned a quizzical look from Youngjae, and a frown from his brother, he went after the American anyways.

“Are you decent?” Jaebeom asked as he knocked on the bathroom door.

“It’s open. You can come in if you want to.” He heard Mark’s voice through the door and he simply took what he said as an invitation. However, when he entered the bathroom, he found a stark naked Mark in front of a mirror rubbing a wet towel in his chest.

“Mark, what the hell?! Why didn’t you warn me?” JB exclaimed as he turned around embarrassedly.

“What?! It’s not like you haven’t seen it before.” The American teased.

“My boyfriend is in the other room.” His stepbrother muttered, still facing the wall.

“And so is mine. I guarantee you he won’t be mad. He has no reason to be insecure anymore. Turn around, silly. It’s not a sin to look.” Mark joked, but he didn’t really expect for the other to do what he said. Mark promptly covered himself with the towel and his expression became serious.

“Are you disappointed on me because I thought you did that to granddad? That’s why you didn’t tell me you and Jin decided to hide here?” Jaebeom asked tentatively, staring right back at him.

“I didn’t decide anything. I woke up in his car on the way here. And yeah, I’m kinda pissed at you. And Jinyoung. I know he was lying. He also thought I did it. Can we talk about this after I get cleaned up?” he asked dryly. His playful tone disappeared as he watched his stepbrother take a few steps towards him.

“Are you nervous now? I guess you still remember the last time we were in a bathroom together.” Jaebeom chuckled. He loved to see Mark ears growing pink.

“Yeah, I do. Eric had just broke up with me and you took advantage of that.” Mark accused, as the other frowned at him. He didn’t really mean what he said, but the news about his mom made him feel like a bomb was about to explode inside him.

“I didn’t. I mean, it was just a blowjob and I had no idea you were a virgin. I swear I wouldn’t-”

“What exactly do you want, JB?” Mark cut him off. However, JB wouldn’t let that subject go. He suddenly felt like he had to explain himself.

“Okay, it may look like I took advantage of your fragile emotional state at the time, but if I did, it was unconsciously-”

“You didn’t do such a thing. I allowed it to happen, I wanted to. Just like what happened between me and Jinyoung last night. So if you are here to criticize us or bring up the cuts-”

“That’s not it. Seriously. I just wanted to remind you that I still can be wherever you want me to be. It’s the second time you refuse to tell me your whereabouts during a phone call. However, this time you told Jackson, and suddenly I realize you trust him more than you trust me. It’s kinda outrageous. I am the stepbrother.” Jaebeom crossed his arms, as heavy sigh escaped his lips. “But since I know now that you were upset at me-”

“Can you blame me? You haven’t been much reliable lately. All you care is about going on dates with Youngjae.” Mark said feigning annoyance. He wasn’t really mad at him, he was just mad at himself.

“Excuse me?!” JB looked irked. The American enjoyed seeing him so ruffled, but he decided it was time to let him off the hook before his stepbrother had a stroke.

“But you can still make it up to me. Maybe if you learn some Mandarin and start using it properly, you might get some answers out of me next time.” The American blinked at him playfully. And his stepbrother finally realized he wasn’t serious. A smile of relief adorned his lips.

"Please don’t scare me like this. My fucking heart has already suffered too many blows lately. I didn't know whether I should be more worried about the fact that you had ran away with my brother, or the possibility of jail time for both of you." He shook his head wearily.

"He would never let anything happen to me. But you cannot let this trainee be also blamed for the fire. It's not right. We both know who did it, and I bet your grandfather only claimed that the person who assaulted him was the same who put fire in the mansion just to hide the fact that it was his dear 'Junior' who did it." Mark stated as he bit his lower lip. Although JYP made his boyfriend ‘immune’ to the police, he hoped justice would prevail at the end of the day.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to Jin. He'll take responsibility for it. I promise. It's not like he's gonna face charges or anything, but at least the other guy won't have to also pay for what he did."

"So, you figured out by yourself that your twin was the culprit?" Mark titled his head to the side as he sat on the lid of the toilet. He seemed to get more comfortable in Jaebeom’s presence, even though he was completely naked underneath that towel. He wondered if that was a proof of how their friendship had evolved, and how their previous relationship was indeed in the past.

"Eun-jung came clean. She told me about their little escapade. Instead of having lunch, they decided to rebel against their families' wishes. For some reason they thought that putting fire to someone's property was the solution to avoid the possibility of an engagement." Jaebeom said as he sat on the floor and leaned his head on the bathroom door.

"I don't think there's ever going to ever be a solution. JYP is not stupid, I’m sure he has a plan B. He might even team up with my mom to keep me and Jinyoung apart! I won’t be surprised if your brother ends up engaged with this girl by the end of the month. Because I am that lucky." The older even wondered if Jinyoung was going to be able to honor their blood oath. Mark was the pessimist, as always. Jaebeom took notice of that, and suddenly Eric's comment about the American earlier made sense. JB was able to see glimpses of that darkness once in a while, and most of the time he overlooked them. However, he would never forget the time Mark mentioned a death pact between them, so they would never have to mourn one another. They were at the mansion, and the older insisted to have sex with him even though Jinyoung was in a room next to theirs. The American acted and sounded disturbed. He claimed that they didn’t have time to waste because death was on its way. Jaebeom also remembered their first kiss. They were at the Lim’s residence, both laying on his bed while the American cried in his arms. The older told JB how he was a terrible person, how Joey was better than him and how Dorine wished he was the who died. JB felt a mix of pity and concern for him. Perhaps Mark wasn’t used to being happy and he lived believing that he didn’t deserve to live. But he lived anyways, for the sake of paying his debts, which the dead would never collect. Jaebeom wished he could break that cycle.

"Well, Eun-jung’s parents put her on a plane, back to England, as soon as she told them about the fire. Somehow, it worked, right? There’s no engagement without a fiancée." JB revealed another good news and Mark couldn’t help but feel nauseated. _That just couldn’t be right._

"Are you kidding me?" Mark asked in disbelief. There was no tinge of delight in his voice.

"Nope. Ask the others." Jaebeom gave him a tender smile. "So, if you guys were thinking about ending this story like Romeo and Juliet, forget it, okay?"

"Oh my God, that's huge!” The older seemed intrigued. His voice as almost a whisper. “I'm not going to jail and Jinyoung is not getting engaged! All of this sounds too good to be true." Mark seemed unsure if he should celebrate or fear for an unpleasant turn of events.

"But it is true, Bunny. And when you finally talk to your mom, you'll see that the world is conspiring to make you happy." Jaebeom stood up, walked in his direction and kneeled in front of him. “This is not a dream.” He added as he pinched his arm.

"That sounds unbelievable." Mark sighed, looking away.

"It's not a crime to hope for good things, you know?" Jaebeom commented, wishing he could wipe that troubled expression from his face.

"I guess. But not expecting too much makes things easier. There's no disappointment at the end. I've learned the hard way." Mark commented somberly.

"Hey, whatever happens between you and Dorine. You know we have your back, right?" his stepbrother said as he placed a hand on his knee.

"Sure. By the way, I'm sorry for not telling you straight away that Jin and I were here. We just thought it would be safer if we kept quiet about it." The American sounded apologetic.

"We're Got7. Together we are stronger. Safety in numbers. Remember that." Jaebeom winked at him.

"All right. Can I get some privacy now?" Mark smiled and pointed to the door.

"You don't think my brother will barge in here to beat me up, right? Honestly, he's in no condition to have one of his psychotic jealous episodes. He's unable to fight anyone after Seunnah used him as a punching bag." Jaebeom commented in a playful tone.

"You don't sound too sorry for your twin." The American furrowed his brows.

"Truth to be told, I've been thinking of teaching him a lesson myself. Not because of whatever you guys did last night. But for setting fire at the school, and at the mansion for example. For playing a part on Jae's return to Mokpo a year ago. For taking those nudes of you, for joining the soccer team, for playing dirt with Jack, for never telling me about mom, for hiding how he felt about you since the beginning...It's a long list of trespasses, you know?" JB admitted, as he ran a hand through his hair.

"And he always gets away with it." Mark nodded, pondering the irrefutable legitimacy of his stepbrother’s words.

"And you love him for it." JB sighed. "It turns out he's the one who's more likely to be immortal for you, right? The untouchable and untamed Junior." Jaebeom chuckled.

"There's no such a thing as immortality. It's just a word. But love, yeah, it's real. It's invigorating, and I accept him for who he is. I wouldn't have him any other way." Mark said confidently. They loved each other, they tasted each other’s blood. They were dyed with each other’s essence. Nothing and no one was above that. He felt like if he held firmly onto that thought, his anxiety wouldn’t get the best of him.

"I know what you mean. It's almost like you hate to love them." JB commented with a grin.

"You hate to love Jae?" Mark cocked his head to the side and gave him a knowing look.

"Not really." JB's grin became larger.

“Thought so.”


	59. – 1°

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you've come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself.”  
> ― Madonna

After the long trip back to Seoul, Got7 didn't return to their dorm. They all accompanied Mark to the hospital where his mother awaited for him. The boys wanted to make sure the American had all the support he needed at that moment, and he felt immensely grateful for their presence there. Now there was only a door separating the teenager from Dorine and he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious as his friends encouraged him to go inside the room.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Eric asked kindly, as he put a gentle hand on his shoulder. The idol didn't leave his side since they returned from Jinhae. Jackson, Jinyoung and Mark spent the whole trip inside Eric's Maserati, since the young Lim's car had trouble in the middle of the road. It was a silent trip, but the quartet managed to survive the tension inside the vehicle. Got4 returned to Seoul in Mark's car. Jaebeom had already used his stepbrother's car to follow Jackson and Eric to Jinhae. It was bigger and there was enough room for him, Youngjae and the maknaes. So when they had to go back, the American didn't mind letting him drive them to the hospital in his car. When the group arrived, Taek-geun met them at the entrance of the building. He was relieved to see that his son and stepson had finally stopped hiding. He hugged Mark and let him take the elevator with his friends to the floor of Dorine's room. That's how they got there, Got7 and Eric Nam.

"Nah! You guys stay here outside. I will talk to her by myself. It's just my mom, not Freddy Krueger. What's the worst that could happen?" Mark took a deep breath and bit his lower lip.

"She's worse than Krueger, but I believe you can handle her." Jinyoung smirked at him and his boyfriend finally smiled a bit.

"Mark hyung, hwaiting!" Yugyeom cheered him up. The American gave him an okay sign. He knew the maknae wished him well. Even though the teenager once criticized his lifestyle through what he himself called, 'the biased point of view of a Korean', Mark learned a lot about the country's conservative culture through him. When the youngest suggested him to stop with the stepbrothers' romance and stick with Jackson, Mark understood he was just looking out for him. That whole mess with the Lim twins and the Hongkonger indeed gave Mark several headaches. However, he believed that the worst trials and turbulences involving those three were long gone now.

"If you need us, just shout our names and we'll be right there with you." Bambam exclaimed, giving him the thumbs up. Mark high-fived the Thai boy and suddenly felt like telling him how he was thankful that he never judged him for having a throuple relationship with a certain seductive Hongkonger and a devilish Junior. He recalled the day he went to Yugyeom for advice and Bambam was the one who told him 'we only live once' and later, on another occasion warned him 'you haven't seen a jealous Jinyoung yet'. The American appreciated his insights and his outgoing character. It was worthwhile to keep that fun and wise kid around.

"I'm sure everything is gonna be okay. Mark is a big boy now. No shouting this time, right hyung?" Jaebeom commented as he remembered the first day Mark arrived in Seoul. He picked the stubborn elder in the airport and took him to see Dorine at Kirin High School. Her office became a battlefield. Their meeting was far from being amicable. It was full of screams and broken furniture.

"No shouting at all. My westerner's spontaneity will do the job. I’ll disarm my mom showering her with kisses." Mark chuckled and gave him a knowing smile. His stepbrother grinned.

"You're the most fearless and bravest 18 year old I know. Even when you're not using your fists, your words are sharper than a two-edged sword. You got this, hyung!" Youngjae have him his megawatt smile, one that lightened up the whole hall of the hospital. Mark would never imagine that the same kid he pushed to the floor of Yugyeom's living room the first time they met would have such an uplifting effect on him. Mark just nodded to the boy from Mokpo and ruffled his hair. Sometimes saying nothing could mean more than a frivolous 'thank you.'

"Come here, Markiepoo." Jackson pulled him to him, stared deep into his eyes, and sighed. He took an object out of his pocket, took the older's hand and put the ornamental band on his palm. "Keep this for a while. Even though I won't be there holding your hand, I'll still be with you, somehow."

The American gazed at the bracelet in his hand. A wave of comfort washed over him. He missed wearing it. It was the same Jackson had gifted him to celebrate their relationship, even though it wasn’t based on rule 77. The bracelet was also the same Jinyoung took from Mark and gave it back to the Hongkonger wrapped in a bunch of lies. Mark never thought he would see it again. He remembered what Jackson told him when he last saw that bracelet. 'We're over then.' The moment was sad and left Mark cold. It shook him. That sentence later made him ask Jinyoung for a break, which didn’t last long, but made the Korean realize his mistake. Now Mark had the lost bracelet again, and Jackson’s present words, the temperature of each syllable, melted his heart.

"I'll keep that in mind, Jia Er." He whispered in Mandarin. Mark's eyes watered as he briefly ran a hand along the side of his face, but he quickly removed it and looked away. He wondered what he would have done if his boyfriend and the others weren’t there.

"Come on, Little Rooster. You're making me nervous here. Just go in there and make her 'see' you. Not Joey's twin, not the one she wants you to be. Force her to see." Eric gave him a brief kiss on his forehead and gave him a little push towards the door.

"Wait!" Jinyoung exclaimed. Mark turned around to face him, but the other moved so quickly that the touch of his boyfriend's lips startled him. Yet, he kissed him back, as if he could suck on a source of strength that would forever be there for him. When the tender kiss broke, Jinyoung's magnetic stare bored into him. "Remember, we're wed." He whispered, as he united their wounded hands, the ones cut during their ceremony. Then, he brought both of their hands to the handle of the door and opened it. He gently pushed Mark inside the room and closed it.

The American's pulse wasn't racing anymore as he watched his mother sitting on the bed, eating some Jell-O. She eyed him with surprise and put his snack aside. If she didn't have a cast on one of her legs he had the impression that she would have ran at his direction.

"You came. You are really here. Taek-geun said you would come, but I didn't believe him. If he knew half of our story, he wouldn't think like that. But here you are." She said, as she beckoned him over. "Come closer, son. I won't bite." She smiled at him. And now he understood what Eric meant by 'serene'. She only smiled like that when she was around Joey. He swiftly got rid of that thought. The teenager swallowed, as he tried to find a reason for Dorine's 'tranquility'. _'Does she think she already won?' Does she think she will have the last word?'_ He couldn't help but wonder.

"I'm okay here." He replied in a emotionless tone, folding his arms across his chest.

"I heard you, you know? I heard you when you came to visit. I heard you talking to me about your daily schedule, your fears, your life. You never talked to me like that before. It was like I was getting to know you for the first time."

"Why am I here Dorine? What is it that's so important?" Mark asked coldly. Struggling to pretend that her words meant nothing. He held the bracelet tightly in his wounded hand. He could almost feel the object entering the barely healed cut on his palm, drawing a bit of blood from it.

"I dreamt too. I dreamt of Joey, he told me I was blind. That I couldn't see-"

"Stop! Stop right there. Why the hell do you have to bring him up? I know what you're doing. Leave my brother out of it!" Mark raised his voice a bit, but he remembered what JB told him. He bit his lower lip and struggled to contain that ticking bomb of emotions inside him.

"Very well, let's go straight to business then." She said dryly. Mark noticed how her tone changed, and her eyes, they looked exactly like the ones he expected to see. Full of power and confidence. That was the Dorine Tuan he always knew. Intimidating, ready to withstand any kind of menace, or pressure. He admired and feared that about her. His mother clearly had a secret weapon, and she was certainly about to unload it on him. He was sure she had an ace up her sleeve. So he had to fire the first shot first, he needed to use an attack as his defense. He had to make her see him, once and for all.

"Before you say anything, let me speak up my mind." Mark said solemnly and waited for her response. Dorine nodded and signaled him to go on. The teenager took a deep breath before he continued. "I didn't come here because you wanted me to. I came here because I needed to. The fact that you woke up from the coma is a relief to me and my boyfriend. The fact that you're alive and healthy means that we won't feel burdened by any form of guilt that could hinder our relationship in the future. Last time we talked, you wanted me to go back to America with you. You made pretty clear to me why I should listen to you. So I came here to reinforce what I already told you before. I will not let you control me, guilt-trip me, blackmail me, manipulate me, or use any kind of subterfuge to chain me to your will. I won’t leave Jinyoung, I will not leave my friends, I will not leave Taek-geun, I will not leave Korea, I will not leave JYP Entertainment, and I will not leave the real me behind. On that note, let's hear what you have to say, Dorine." Mark stated with determination, without moving from the door. He couldn't bring himself to approach her bed.

"I see." She paused, and the continued. "I was just on the phone with your aunt. We agreed that your cousin Grace is taking over Tuan Enterprises. Unlike you, she is eager to look after the family business. She's properly prepared to do it. Fortunately, her years in Stanford will not be in vain. Maybe it's time to have a chairwoman calling the shots. She'll make sure we won't face bankruptcy again. I Trust that girl's skills." The counselor commented casually.

"And you want me to work with her or something? Have you heard what I just said? I'm not coming back, Dorine!" The teenager said harshly, unable to decipher the obvious message between her lines.

"You're the one who's not listening. You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to. I'm the one who's leaving. You are free to do whatever you please with your life. You're a man now and you don't need a nagging mother to decide your future for you. You clearly have your own plans, and I truly hope you succeed in each one of them. I'm setting you free, Yi-en. You are not confined in a reality I created for you anymore." Dorine said in a serious tone. Mark struggled to believe his own ears. He frowned and shook his head. He seemed confused and distraught.

"You're going back to America without me?" He asked flabbergasted as soon as he registered some of her words and pondered them.

"I'm officially divorced from Taek-geun. I don't plan to go back to Kirin High, and I miss LA. Moreover, Grace might need someone to show her the ropes in the company, at least in the beginning, till she get used to the dynamics of the office. We will make the family business bigger, son. We'll achieve numbers that Raymond never could." Dorine assured him with a proud expression on her face. The teenager finally walked in her direction and sat on a chair beside her bed. His voice was softer when he started speaking again.

"Are you for real? Aren't you gonna say how I'm letting you down, how I'm disgracing father's memory? What about-"

"Raymond disgraced himself. I always wanted to protect you and Joey from knowing who your father really was. There's so much you don't know about him...I could stand the fact that he was having an affair, and even the fact that he'd rather spend his nights on gambling casinos than come home to us. But I could never forgive him for losing our own house. But now we're getting it all back." She explained her bitterness in a series of events unknown to Mark.

"Dad was cheating on you?" The teenager scowled.

"Does that surprise you?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"No." Mark looked down, knowing very well how his father's character used to be.

"Your brother found out by accident, even before I did. I begged him not to tell you. He answered a phone call-"

"Joey knew? Why didn't you leave dad as soon as you found out?" Mark was astonished.

"Your father might've married me in order to put his hands on my family's money. But I married him for love. I couldn't just force myself to divorce him. The affair was going on even before we got married. He met her in Taiwan and she followed him to America." She revealed, looking away in shame.

"You shouldn't have hidden it from me." Mark muttered, as he realized how ignorant he was. The teenager almost felt sorry for his mom.

"It's in the past. None of what I went through with him justify my actions towards you. I always thought Joey was more like me and you were more like Raymond. You reminded me of your father when he was younger. He was an incurable rule breaker too. I guess I was harder on you because I didn't want you to become even more like him in the future." She argued, striving to provide answers her son never asked for.

"I'm nothing like him. I'm nothing like Joey, and I'm nothing like you." Mark emphasized each one of his words.

"You are you, and that's more than enough." She pointed out, as she reached for his hand. He didn't brush her away. Her touch was warm and forgiving. Her gaze was apologetic and understanding.

"Do you really mean that?" His eyes were fixed on hers now. "Are you really well? I mean, you don't have any terminal illness and you're not gonna say 'memento mori', or more of that creepy shit you told me when Joey died?" Mark never believed that the two of them would be able to give their relationship a second chance, up until now.

"I see you, Yi-en. You're nobody's shadow. Nobody is asking you to be. You can't spend your life limiting yourself in order to fit in other people's standards or to meet their expectations. Your life is yours and no one else's. No matter who you love, or what kind of job you choose to do, remember to live the way you see fit. Memento vivere, son." Dorine's words soothed his very being.

"Mom." His eyes watered as he held her hand tightly.

"I'll be looking forward to your debut, Tuan Yi-en." She said, without letting go of his hand.

"And I'm gonna work hard for it. I'm gonna make you proud of me, mom. I'm gonna be part of an amazing group that will be internationally famous and-"

"I'm already proud of you. You just need to be proud of yourself now. Set your own goals, move forward and never look back. Even though I'll be far away, I'm gonna be supporting you all the away. Whenever any of the Parks give you trouble, I'll come back here and give them hell. We're still mother and son. The distance between us won't change who we are." Dorine said firmly as she softly touched his cheek.

"I'm sorry for the accident." A sobbing Mark said at last, as if he confessed an unforgivable sin to a priest. His mother shook her head, showing him that there was no reason for those painful tears anymore.

"I'm sorry for letting you think you should be sorry for it. You father was more intoxicated than you that day. I shouldn't have let you take the car keys from him. I could've driven the car myself. When we started arguing, I knew you would be distracted, I should've predicted that you'd end up taking your eyes off the road. Stop blaming yourself, you're not a criminal. Unshackle your feet from this unearned guilt, Mark. Don't let it enslave you anymore. Walk away from it. Absolve yourself and move on." She said in a sentimental tone. The teenager noticed how she held back her tears. Dorine Tuan rarely cried.

"I don't know if I can." Mark quickly wiped a tear that escaped from the corner of his eye.

"I know you can. Your friends, Taek-geun and even your new boyfriend know that you can. I'm sure they'll be with you all the way. So, yeah. You can." She sounded sympathetic and true.

"What about Jinyoung? Are you okay with-"

"Your stepfather told me he came to see me a couple of times. I thought I was dreaming during the coma, but I guess I really remember the honesty in his voice. The young Lim himself asked me to forgive him, he told me how much he loved you. Taek-geun even said he brought me flowers once." She huffed. "Stupid kid. I hate flowers. They belong to cemeteries."

"I know what you mean." He chuckled at her grim comment and then became a bit more anxious. He didn't know how his mother would react to his next question. "Should we hug it out or something?" The teenager knew his mom was never the hugging type. But he didn't care. She could already see him.

"On one condition. Your boyfriend will have to buy me a new pair of heels. A very expensive one, since he ruined the last one I was wearing." She said in a lively tone, and continued. "Next time he pushes me like that, I'm gonna sue his ass and bleed JYPE dry." She said in a more brisky tone.

"Count me on that." Mark grinned and finally hugged his mom. She hugged him back and suddenly Mark felt like he could believe in miracles. They talked for hours. He told her about Jinhae, the fire in the mansion, JYP's assault, and how Jinyoung and his friends, including Eric, never made him feel alone or unprotected.

"How's the old man by the way? I'm sure he's hurting more than you did when that fake police man he sent to Kirin High hit your back with a club. I'll never forget that damned meeting in the teachers' room. A Tuan never forgets. JYP learned the hard way." Dorine commented casually as she winked at Mark.

"Did you have anything to do-"

"Shush, Yi-en. JYP won't mess with you in the future. I promise you that. All is taken care of. You ought to know that besides you friends, I have your back too." She assured him as she patted his back.

“But you only woke up after the assault had happened, how come-”

“Maybe that’s what Teak-Geun and I wanted you to believe.” Dorine gave him a patronizing look. “ I mean, I couldn’t fool him like I easily fooled you, so when he found out I was faking, I had to convince him it was for a good cause.” She clarified.

"Oh my God! That’s why he kept saying that you could listen to me and…How long you’ve been pretending you were in coma?" The teenager was flabbergasted.

“Does it really matter? I’m just glad my time in this hospital brought us close, made you open up to me, and forced me to realize what a wonderful son I have.” Her serene smile danced in her face on more time. Her son felt blessed. Mark's smile grew larger as he hugged her one more time. He couldn’t be mad at her now, not for pretending to be asleep just to get to know him better. And he certainly wouldn’t blame her for reaching some displeased trainee at JYPE and getting him to teach a lesson to the old man Park. He suddenly became her fan, and she became his super heroine.

A couple of hours later Got7 was summoned to JYP Entertainment's office. There, Kim Go-Eun awaited the group for an urgent meeting. The teenagers didn't know what to expect when they received the call, but they left the hospital together and went to the company. Mark promised to call Eric later and tell him the details about the conversation he had with Dorine. The news of their reconciliation made the boys euphoric, especially Jinyoung, who, before leaving the hospital, promised the former counselor of Kirin High a new pair of Prada shoes every month. And even when she returned to the U.S, he gave his word that he would ship them to LA religiously.

As soon as they entered the meeting room, the assistant of JYPE's CEO started talking nonstop.

"JJ Project's single album Slot Machine and the music video 'Bounce' will be released next week. Several promotions will be done, including on _M!Countdown_. Jaebeom-shi and Jinyoung-shi, be ready to face an insanely tight schedule in the upcoming days. You two will also take part in the MBC's drama _'When a Man Loves a Woman'._ I also have news for Mark-shi, Jackson-shi, Bambam-shi and Yugyeom-shi. The four of you will make your first appearance on TV in a few weeks. You've been selected as the JYPE's trainees who will battle the YG trainees on the fourth episode of the reality survival program _WIN: WHO'S NEXT_. Youngjae-shi, you'll dedicate your time to longer piano and vocal lessons. The winner of Vocal Excellence Award of Mokpo Youth Music Festival will have to give his best from now on, and shine brighter than ever, after all, you'll be one of the main singers of the group."

"Group? What group?" Youngjae asked innocently.

"The 7 of you must be ready for a group debut in January of the next year." She explained, without giving the boys much time to digest the news.

"Two months from now? Are you sure?" JB looked surprised. The other boys gasped.

"Your grandfather strongly believes you will be ready to do it by then." The assistant said casually and then added in a firmer tone. "Do you think it's a task too difficult to accomplish Lim Jaebeom-shi? You'd better start showing more leadership in your attitude. You'll be the leader of JYPE's next biggest Kpop boy band.

"He's not even the oldest, why him?" Jackson protested with a pout.

"Come on, hyung. That's not a big deal. At least we'll debut together in the same group. That's what matters." Yugyeom said reassuringly.

"If you have any complaints, Jackson-shi, feel free to contact the CEO directly." Go-Eun said calmly.

"There's no need to. We're gonna work harder than before and do our best, ma'am. We won't disappoint the company." Jaebeom said politely after giving the Hongkonger a reproving glance.

"You will have group practice and rehearsals together from now on. The recording of the full-length album 'Identify' shall start as soon as JJProject promotions are finished. Any questions?" She asked as she observed the shocked faces of the teenagers in the room.

"The album already has a title. What about the name of the group?" Bambam asked curiously.

"Got7, of course. After all, it's seven lucky guys coming together to take over the world." Jinyoung suggested, as he glanced at the Hongkonger. The latter gave him his famous Squirtle smile. 

"I'll take that suggestion in consideration. It's a nice concept. If the boss agrees with the idea, Got7 shall be." Go-eun informed them, and excused herself. Got7 left the building of JYPE knowing that they'd have to take on more responsibility. While Got6 felt like their dreams were coming true, Mark was still beginning to figure out what that collective dream was really about. When they went back to the dorm, the 7 boys gathered in the living room, formed a circle in the middle of it, held hands and thanked each other for being part of that journey they were about to start.

The following week was busy for everyone. And so was the next, and the ones after. A month passed quickly as the boys prepared themselves for Got7's debut. Dorine had returned to America, and Mark was already feeling a bit blue because it was almost December, and it would be his first Christmas away from home. Jinyoung noticed that, and so did the others. Jaebeom had already reminded the older that he would be spending the holidays at the Lim's residence, since he would always be part of their family, even though divorce papers said otherwise. The young Lim wanted to cheer him up a bit more, so he came up with an idea he had before and that he thought it could be easily executed now.

"Are you seriously suggesting what I think you're suggesting? A double date?" The American squinted his eyes.

"Babe, I want you to see that I'm a changed guy. You inspire me to be a better person, and one of the traits of being a good person is being there for your friends, right? Jack is our friend, he's family. And unfortunately, we failed him in many ways. You were right when you told me that the least we could do for Seunnah is support his new relationship. I don't feel insecure anymore, and I don't consider every guy around you a threat to our happiness. I want you to see how I'm completely able to behave like a prince around your ex." The younger did sound like he had put some thought on the subject. He had already mentioned it when they were at his grandma's house, but Mark didn't believe that he would be up for it any soon. The American had noticed how his lover seemed to be very attentive to all kinds of conversations they had. That was a definitively a good sign. His boyfriend didn't make decisions for him anymore. Their relationship undoubtedly became stronger after their ceremony, and they both grew up emotionally. Their friends and family noticed it, and the pair couldn't help but notice it too. Jinyoung often asked Mark’s opinion about everything, and they discussed their relationship whenever it was necessary. The young Lim sounded and looked more serious, balanced and adult-like. It was as if that willful, greedy, callous Jinyoung, who manipulated the whole world to get what he wanted, was replaced by a more centered, sensible and kindhearted young man, who actually listened to other people’s point of view and looked after every single member of GOT7. Maybe that was the Jinyoung Mark hadn't met before the Lims' divorce. The Mr. Goody two shoes, class president loved by his peers in Kirin High, pride and joy of the principal. The mom of Got6. Mark was even more in love with that transformation in him.

Eleven months ago, the American lamented the fact that he perhaps would never get to meet that person and when he was still trying to figure out the infamous ‘Junior’, he even felt tempted to change him back to that past nice guy version his classmates talked about, but he had never laid eyes on. Mark wanted him to change for him, make him fall for him, even though the younger wasn’t ‘cut out for that’. Mark used to think that Jinyoung just hadn’t met anyone worth changing for yet. It was only much later that the older understood that he was wrong, that he could not change him, that no one could. Jinyoung evolved by himself. His experiences drove him to rebuild his character. It wasn’t the American alone who destroyed that stone cold façade of indifference Jinyoung put up every day. Several other circumstances demanded a rearrangement of the world within the young Lim. Besides Mark’s turbulent arrival, his grandfather’s mask had fallen off, the real reason for his parents’ divorce had come to light and he suddenly found himself at fault for making his friends and boyfriend JYP’s captives. His father had lost custody of both him and JB because his reckless actions and bad behavior obviously made it possible. However, nothing impacted him as much as the loss of his mother. Death certainly played a major part in his reconstruction. Jiyeong’s passing made him vulnerable to feel deeper, all kinds of emotions he forbid himself to feel for a long time. His whole being was unfettered by grief, shaken by despair. His beliefs were challenged and so was the demands of his heart. He had to readapt, fit in a scary and confusing reality in which the woman who gave him life was no longer present. He could not remain stagnant, and neither could he remake himself without going through that nameless suffering. He was forced to start reshaping himself from inside out, and at some point along his complicated teenage journey, he began to live that change. Mark was happy to be part of that journey.

"You mean, around my two exes." Mark reminded him. It wasn't the kind of topic the older expected to discuss while they were leaving the recording studio. JJP promotions were over, and the group was already working on their debut album. The pair had already recorded their vocals, so their schedule ended earlier than the others’. They were at the garage of the company when Jinyoung revealed his plans for the holiday.

"I thought you wanted me to become Eric's friend someday. I had the impression that you wanted the four of us to get along, especially now that they’re going steady." The puzzled Korean frowned, as he studied his lover's features. "Have you changed your mind?"

"I just don't think Eric will feel comfortable around you." Mark pointed out, without being able to properly answer his question. There was a certain kiss shared in a backyard which was never discussed between Jackson and him. Both pretended it meant nothing. Jinyoung didn’t learn about it, anyone did, but them. Judging by the way Jackson and Eric’s relationship progressed, the older believed that the idol was also unaware of what happened. When Eric and Jackson announced they had started dating for real a month ago, Mark convinced himself that a silent agreement was made between him and the Hongkonger. _No more talking about their past._ After that kiss back in Jinhae, the two foreigners never found themselves alone in a room again. Perhaps they tried to avoid each other, fearing that one of them would suddenly bring up the inconvenient subject. Mark still had the bracelet Jackson had given him, and he didn’t want to return it. They lived under the same roof, they had practice, meals, and classes together, but not a word was spoken about it. The Hongkonger hadn’t asked for the bracelet he had given him at the hospital. Mark pretended to have forgotten he still had it, but deep down he never intended to let go of it, not now that it was in his possession again. So he hid it in the bedroom he shared with Jinyoung. Inside a drawer under his clothes. He hid the object from prying eyes, like he buried some indecipherable inquietude somewhere in his soul. His own actions intrigued him. When that bracelet was taken from Mark once, it meant the end of something. He didn’t know why he desired to held on to it now.

"It seems you are the one who won't feel comfortable around them." The young Lim commented, folding his arms across his chest.

"Nonsense." Mark shook his head awkwardly. Hoping his lover would simply drop the subject and get in the car.

"Then say yes. I'll call Jackson, and you call Nam. I'm sure we can convince them that this is a wonderful idea. We didn't get to celebrate Chuseok because of our horrible schedules. Christmas Eve has gotta be different. It's been ages since we last went out."

"We have dinner at Dad's." Mark reminded him. The way he casually referred to Taek-geun as 'dad' now, always brought a smile to his boyfriend's face. Jinyoung was glad to realize he was a Lim Tuan at heart.

"It’s a holiday, babe. We’ll have the day off. The date can be in the morning, or in the afternoon. We'll still have time to exchange gifts with the other guys when we go back to the dorm." The Korean reasoned with him.

"Okay. I guess." Mark sighed and shrugged. His smiling boyfriend walked to him and gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

"You'll see how this is gonna be a life changing experience." Jinyoung assured him. Mark furrowed his brows, but quickly unlocked the screen of his phone.

“I bet it will.” The older said without much confidence. Yet, his response seemed to satisfy his boyfriend, who finally entered the car and drove them back to the dorm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not too far from a happy ending...Right?


	60. Drunk On you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can even feel your breath  
> That's how close I am  
> Even you don't say anything I feel it  
> Secretive feeling  
> Your scent that I feel like I already know  
> It’s getting stronger  
> Dangerous attraction  
> My body is already looking for you...
> 
> ~ 'Drunk On you' by Jus2

"I was surprised when Mark called. I really didn't expect this invitation from you." Eric said, not sure of what to think about that double date. It was 10 AM and he found himself at a place called _Butter Finger Pancakes_ accompanied by his boyfriend, his ex and his ex’s boyfriend. 

"What can I say? I’m a unpredictable guy. So, how do you like the place? I told Mark both of you would probably feel at home here. They serve a big variety of American-style brunches. It was selected as one the best restaurants in Seoul by some magazine.” Jinyoung sounded lively as he gave Eric one of his best actor smile. Mark pretended not to pay attention to their talk while he examined the menu with the Hongkonger. The atmosphere was awkward. The American didn’t know what to say or think regarding the small talk that the idol and the Korean had just engaged. Jackson seemed to be as lost as him, trying to look busy as he focused on the names of the food before him. For a moment, the older felt relieved that he and Hongkonger weren’t the most uncomfortable pair at the table.

“I’m surprised that we didn’t go clubbing or something. Thought you were more of a nightlife kind of guy.” Eric chuckled and continued. “Well, this place is not a theater, nor a museum, nor an art gallery, but it’s not so bad. I mean, it could be worse.” The idol’s words made Mark lift his eyes up from the menu and kick his leg under the table. Eric just gave him an apologetic look. Mark had told him through the phone that Jinyoung was doing his best to get along with him, so he should do the same.

“Well, I’m sure you have a more sophisticated taste. Sometimes I forget you used to be a college guy. Perhaps next time you can suggest a place that’s more to your liking. Or, if you wish, we can leave here and go somewhere else.” Jinyoung kept his composure, despite the look of disdain plastered on the idol’s face. Jackson remained seemingly uninterested in their interaction. He just kept asking Mark which one of the dishes in the menu he used to have for breakfast back in the U.S. Mark answered him, giving him details about tastes and ingredients. It was easy to interact with Jackson as long as they weren`t alone. However, his attentive ears were on alert. He monitored Nam and the young Lim without intervening much in their conversation. He wanted those two to be at least civil to each other till the end of that double date.

“The problem is not the place. Perhaps, it’s the unpleasant company.” Eric muttered. Jackson sighed.

“Ricky!” Mark exclaimed, shooting him a reproving look. The idol glanced swiftly at Mark and shrugged. When he turned to the Korean again, the latter didn’t look offended by his comment.

“I’m sorry, man. I can’t stop thinking you’re trying to get something out of this so-called double date. We all know who you are. You scheme, you plan, and you execute. Why am I here, Park Jinyoung?” Eric said at once. Mark was agape. Jackson just observed.

“I can’t blame you for thinking that I have ulterior motives here. But I genuinely just want the four of us to have an agreeable time together. This is important to me, because it’s important to Mark. My boyfriend holds you in high esteem. You were part of his life back in America, and I’m sure he would also like to have you in his life here in South Korea. I know the only reason you guys are not best friends at the moment is because you hate my guts and you think he is making a huge mistake by dating me. You are here Eric, because I want to prove you wrong and get some sort of approval.” Jinyoung confessed in a serious tone. The idol seemed to consider his speech for a moment. A tiny smile appeared on Jackson’s lips as he briefly glanced at his best friend. Mark whispered a sweet ‘ _I love you’_ next to Jinyoung’s ear and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Only then, the young Lim continued in a more cheerful voice. “Blame it on the Christmas spirit. I'm quite overwhelmed by the collective idea of peace and harmony during this holiday season. I just can't help myself."

“Well, I’m sure you heard Christmas is often referred to as the ‘season of giving’. Are you a charitable person, Jinyoung?” The idol cocked his head to the side. He seemed to analyse the Korean’s every single word and gesture. If Jinyoung intended to get his approval now, he would have to work hard for it. The Young Lim felt like he was in a job interview, but promised himself to keep his feelings in check. Mark didn’t want to lose his connection with Eric. So Jinyoung was going to make sure he didn’t.

“As a matter of fact, I am. Or at least I’m trying to be. You see, I used to be on the soccer team of Kirin High. Most of those players were jerks, but in a way or another, I was just like them. Actually, I am not proud of the things I did back then. I was really in a bad place. I’d rather stay on the field practicing after class than going home. I was afraid of returning to the mansion. Because I didn’t know if my mother would still be alive whenever I got there. So I avoided my real friends of Got6 and joined those jocks. They had shitty grades and loved to bully others in order to feel better about themselves. One of them even gave me the stupid idea of setting fire to the library, other helped me to intimidate Youngjae so he would leave the school, but they all made me feel like I wasn’t the only one suffering. Jackson here was the only one outside of the soccer team, who was still patient and courageous enough to put up with my shit.” Jinyoung smiled at his best friend and continued. “This Christmas I decided to lend a hand to two of those players, Zico and Mino.”

“Jin, why? I mean, they’re in jail. What the fuck can you possibly do for them? I heard from a classmate that they got 25 fucking years. Why do you have to help them anyways? They are drug dealers. Prison is the right place for them." The Hongkonger couldn’t help but question his friend’s attitude.

“Don’t be so harsh. The truth is, those guys had problems at home just like me. The difference is that I had you to look after me most of the time, then after my mom died, my brother stood by me and I got closer to our friends again. I had Mark. I had grandfather. We all know it was my grandpa's influence and money that kept me out of jail. I did a bunch of illegal stuff. You do know what I'm talking about. It's not fair that they are doing time and I'm not.” The Korean took a deep breath and continued. “I just found them better lawyers. They couldn’t afford a good one. I know the law is being especially strict with them because they were selling stuff to highschoolers. But I'm gonna guarantee that Mino and Zico have a new trial after the appeal. With luck, their sentence will be reduced.”

“And what do you think they’re gonna do once they get out? Sell more drugs to kids?” Jackson shook his head in dismal.

"I’m not advocating drug dealing, and of course I don’t want them to go back to their old ways. I’m just trying to provide these guys a second chance. So, whenever they get out, I’ll try to find them a part-time job at JYPE or something.” Jinyoung explained himself. He wondered why his friend considered his ‘good deed’ such a bad idea. “By the way, it's kinda hypocritical of you to criticize those two. We used to buy their stuff and party with them. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten that." Jinyoung argued.

"I only partied with them because I had to look after your ass." The Hongkonger felt a bit exposed since his boyfriend was right beside him.

"And I thank you for that. I know that you probably felt like you had to do it in the beginning, but later you started to enjoy it as much as I did. Drugs became a recreational thing whenever we went to bars." Jinyoung raised an eyebrow at his friend, as if he dared him to deny that simple fact.

"You used to take drugs?" The idol looked astonished when he glanced at Jackson.

"Oh, please! Are you gonna tell me you didn't notice how high he was at that party you threw in your house to celebrate the release of your album?" Mark eyed Eric in disbelief. The idol just sighed uncomfortably. He remembered the occasion, but he wasn’t aware of how regular his boyfriend engaged in that kind of ‘activity’.

“Mark, did you know about this? Are you supporting this crazy idea?” A displeased Jackson turned to the American, who simply nodded. The Hongkonger finally relented and shut his mouth after muttering a simple ‘whatever’.

"Kid, that will be a hell of a mission. South Korea is supposed to be a 'drug free country'. The law enforcement here will do its best to keep them locked away from the society for a long time. Good luck with that." Eric stated derisively.

"Well, charity is not always supposed to be an easy task. Of course, since you're older and more experienced, you must've greater ideas in mind. What's your Christmas good deed ? Are you going to buy lunch for a homeless person?" Jinyoung gave the idol a challenging stare.

"Well, Eric is not new to humanitarian work. He uses his social media to bring awareness to a lot of causes. You might not be aware of it but he's an ambassador of UNICEF." Mark pointed out, as he gently put his hand on his lover's shoulder. He somehow wanted to console Jinyoung from the amount of embarrassment he was about to go through.

"Last week he was in Uganda doing a fundraising show. He's also a supporter of the Korean Animal Welfare Association." A smirking Jackson added proudly. Jinyoung had eyes like saucers.

"To answer your question, Jinyoungie, since I don't have a schedule this week I'm just visiting a couple of orphanages and making some donations. It's important that the most fortunate keep giving to the society, not only during religious holidays. December is just one month. People and the environment are in need every day. Charity sometimes has to become a lifestyle if you really aim to make a difference." Eric stated sharply. Jinyoung immediately felt like an idiot. Mark bit his lower lip, as the second-hand embarrassment washed over him. Jackson grinned, noticing how the pair became silent for a long minute.

"Eric is certainly not wasting his time helping criminals." Jackson completed his boyfriend's come back. Jinyoung eyed his friend in disbelief. The Hongkonger didn't seem to be on his side this time. Jinyoung certainly wasn't expecting that remark from him. For a second he felt like Eric’s approval wasn’t the only one he would have to fight for. He could tell that was obviously a provocation. It was like Jackson and the idol had teamed up to gang up on him. Mark swallowed. Everybody expected the young Lim to freak out, throw a tantrum, or accuse the Hongkonger of taking the idol's side. Yet, none of that happened.

"You're certainly an inspirational human being Eric Nam sunbae, a role model, to be more precise. I hope in the future I get to be half of the charitable guy that you are." Jinyoung said politely, in a humble tone. He wasn't being sarcastic and he wasn’t sneering either. He sounded like he really meant what he said. The American was beaming. Jackson nodded and winked at his friend, as if he had just giving him full marks for that answer. Actually, the Hongkonger's plan was to get Jinyoung angry and show Eric that the Korean was able to restrain himself much better than the old days. Jinyoung obviously did well. It seemed the young Lim had passed the test. The idol huffed.

"How's work, Ricky?" Mark asked abruptly, changing the course of the conversation.

"I'm still hosting the _After School Club_. Jan Han-buyl is a very reliable co-worker. The show can be quite unnerving cause it's live, and you don't know what to expect from the fans on the video chats. The best part is that I get to speak English and interact with a lot of cool idols and befriend some nice people. Maybe someday I'll have the honour of having Got7 as guests." Eric smiled at the Hongkonger beside him, Jackson smiled back, but without much enthusiasm.

"That would be amazing!" Jinyoung exclaimed. "This television show sounds like the perfect place to bring international fans closer to Got7."

"Jin, we haven't even debuted yet." Jackson sounded discouraged. Work wasn’t really a topic he wanted to discuss at the moment. Of course Got7’s debut was his priority at the moment, but he also knew the consequences of becoming a full-time idol. No freedom to do whatever he wanted, no permission to go wherever he pleased, almost no vacation, almost no social life, and almost no trips back home. Dating Eric has taught him that sometimes the fulfilment of a dream could be a gift and also a curse.

"You don't sound like yourself." The American gave him a quizzical look. “Aren’t you the member who anticipated our debut the most?”

"This debut is costing me a lot. So much that I’m unable to feel so merry during this lovely season." Jackson sighed. Mark eyed him worriedly.

"He misses his family. He's not going to Hong Kong this year because we're preparing for the debut. None of us can leave the country. It’s in the contract." Jinyoung gave his friend an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, man. JYPE's rules do suck."

"Perhaps they could make an exception for JYP Junior. I mean, you could ask a small favour from your grandfather, right? You can vouch for your friend. You can tell JYP that Jack only needs a couple of days in Hong-”

“SSeunnah wouldn’t want me to ask grandfather favours on his behalf.” Jinyoung cut Eric off in a determined voice. He knew better than to ask his grandfather more favours. There was always a huge price to pay at the end.

“No, of course not!” An upset Jackson exclaimed and got up. “Excuse me, I need to use the toilet.” He dashed to the washroom so quickly that they barely had time to react to his abrupt gesture.

“I’ll go after him.” Eric stated, but as he was about to get up, his ex stopped him.

“No, it`s okay. I’ll check on him. You guys stay here and talk.” Mark announced as he stood up. “Order me something American, babe! I’ll be back!” he called out as he went after the Hongkonger. Within a second he caught up with Jackson, yet, he was a bit unsure of what to say as soon as he realized that they were the only ones in there.

"Are you okay?" The American asked as he leaned on the toilet door.

"Just go back to the table, Markie. I'm fine. I just need a second." The downcast Hongkonger whispered loud enough for Mark to hear. He stared back at the large mirror in front of him, but as the older realized he was watching him through it, Jackson simply buried his head in the sink, turned on the faucet, and let the cool stream of water flow on his head.

"I'm sorry about your Christmas away from home. I know how it feels like." Mark tried to comfort him. He wanted to put his arms around him and tell him things would get better soon.

"I bet you do." He sighed as he lifted his head, pulling his soaked hair back. "You know what really sucks? My brother is flying from Australia just to be there for the holiday. I haven't seen him in more than 5 years. He's even bringing my niece to meet her grandparents." The Hongkonger sounded disappointed.

"Oh my God! You have a brother?" A wide-eyed Mark asked. But he didn’t miss the droplets of water running down the other’s face, wetting his lips. Those lips which once felt so right against his. Those lips he wished he could touch and taste without feeling like a cheater. A voice inside his head screamed at him to leave that toilet immediately. Still, he stayed.

"A half-brother. Winston. He's the son of my father's first wife. We weren't raised together. We don't see much of each other. He's 35, married and he's gotta an adorable daughter called Aimée." Jackson smiled a bit as he talked about his family. Mark liked that side of him, his sensitive puppy side.

"Wow, you never told me about that." Mark commented casually, as he looked away, trying to hide his own nervousness. That’s exactly what he feared, not being himself around Jackson, not knowing what to say next, just because they both chose to ignore the elephant in the room. Minutes ago, at the table, they could pretend they were simply friends, but not now. Not while there wasn’t anyone around to restrain them. Not while they both feared and wanted the same thing.

"Well, now you know." The Hongkonger pursed his lips and turned to him. "You can go back to the table, really." Jackson pointed to the toilet door, fearing that the lack of subject could make the awkwardness between them worse. He was self-conscious about the fact that they hadn’t been alone inside a room for a while. He didn`t want to ask Mark why he kissed him in Jinhae, but he knew that after that day at the backyard, an unsettledness was planted in him. _Was it hope, or an illusion?_ He had given Mark up, but his heart hadn`t, and the way the older eyed him now made things even worse.

"How are you and Ricky doing? I mean, you both have crazy schedules. It can't be easy to meet up and spend time with each other." Mark ignored his attempt to make him leave. He couldn’t bring himself to do it.

"Not all couples are lucky like 2Jae or MarkJin. Living together makes all the difference. Eric's house is a bit far and his agency keeps a very close eye on him. They don't wanna any dating scandal for now. His weeks are hectic, his weekends barely exist. It's like having a long-distance relationship. I'm sure you remember how that feels like." Jackson scoffed.

"Yeah. I guess I do. But we loved each other, and we did our best to make things work out despite everything." Mark commented, wondering if Eric realized how much he was neglecting his boyfriend.

"Maybe that's the problem, you know? Love." Jackson murmured, not sure if he should be discussing that topic with the older.

"What do you mean?" The American's scrutinizing stare made the other gasp.

"There's no love between us. Just a very good chemistry, but not love. Never love. Not like the one I felt-"

"Felt? Not anymore?" Mark inquired. It was obvious that he knew exactly what the younger was talking about. His voice was deeper, anxious. Jackson stared at him with quizzically.

"It doesn't really matter what I feel. You and Jin are perfect together. No stolen kiss will change that fact. I wouldn't dream of jeopardizing your relationship. He's my best friend and you...I respect what you two have." Jackson said in an urgent tone. Mark nodded. He obviously noticed the younger's discomfort and changed the subject abruptly.

"Eric is not really an UNICEF's ambassador, you know." Mark commented with a grin. Jackson's expression finally relaxed. His eyes lightened up a bit.

"Shit! Poor Jin, did you see his face? Eric didn't even deny it! He`s not really a show off, but he still did his best to embarrass Jin. He's definitely out to get him." Jackson broke into a fit of laughter. That familiar sound of joy filled Mark's ears. He unconsciously took a few steps in his direction. Before he could notice, he was close enough to touch his chin. Jackson licked his lips nervously and blinked several times. 

"I like when you laugh." Mark brought their faces closer. His noses were almost touching. "I miss our laughs Jia Er. I really do." He whispered in Mandarin. Mark once kissed JB to prove something, to make sure they would be able to remain friends in the future. He tasted his stepbrother's lips to make sure the romantic feelings between them were gone. Mark wanted to kiss Jackson now. Not because he wanted to prove anything. After that kiss in Jinhae he already knew enough. He was aware that kissing the Hongkonger wouldn't give him the same closure he had with Jaebeom. Kissing Jackson would only make him want the younger even more. And that shouldn`t happen. Jackson furrowed his brows and tried not to move. He could feel the older's breath against his face. A flashback of that secret kiss they shared a month ago made his heart accelerate. He didn't know what that meant. He had no idea of what was happening now. He thought about Jinyoung, and then what that could do to their friendship. Yet, he surrendered.

"Yi-En." He closed his eyes for an instant expecting to feel the contact of those lips he missed so badly. However, the next step wasn`t taken. No lips collided with his. And when he opened his eyes again, Mark was gone.

The upset Hongkonger took a deep breath. He wondered what kind of game Mark was playing with him. Was the American seducing him or he was allowing himself to be seduced? Were they both playing a dangerous game that could possibly end in disaster? Should he just tell his best friend what was going on at once? But did he himself know what was going on? Unable to find an answer for that question, he quickly exited the toilet and returned to the table. However, his boyfriend and ex-boyfriend were missing. 

"Where the fuck are they?" Jackson demanded from his best friend. He felt like spilling the beans about the whole thing.

"Two girls recognized Eric and asked for autographs. We noticed some other costumers taking pics of our table. He had to leave before this double date turned into a double chaos." Jinyoung snorted. "Geez, I wonder if we'll be chased around by sasaengs when we get famous. Sorry, man."

"Mark left with him?" Jackson was incensed. He was about to tell Jinyoung what had just happened at the toilet and at his grandma's backyard even in the American`s absence.

"He went to pick up your Christmas present in the car. It's a gift from both of us. I really hope you like it." Jinyoung smiled at him.

"Jin, forget about the fucking present. You need to know something." Jackson said firmly. However, before he could say anything else, he heard Mark's voice behind him scream in Mandarin 'Surprise'. When he turned around, he almost had a stroke. His whole family was there, even Winston and Aimée. Mark was holding the little one's hand. A speechless Jackson placed one hand on his mouth and simply froze on the spot. Only when his mother's arms wrapped around him that he allowed his tears to flow freely. Then his father also hugged them, and a second later his brother and Aimée did the same. The family hug almost made Mark and Jinyoung tear up too. The scene was so touching that the whole restaurant started clapping their hands. 

The Korean and his boyfriend excused themselves. An overjoyed Jackson insisted that they should stay, and spend time with his family. But Jinyoung revealed that the Wangs had arrived yesterday and that he and Mark already had a chance to get to know them after they picked the quartet at the airport. Jackson was amazed. He knew his best friend was a good actor, but he could never imagine that Mark could play his role so well. Back at the toilet, the American seemed really surprised to hear about his half-brother. Yet, now he looked like he was acquainted with all his family members. Jackson immediately pushed aside all the complaints he was about to make regarding the American's behavior. It was Christmas Eve anyways. That confrontation could wait. So he just let the happy couple go and promised to meet them back at the dorm.

Jinyoung knew Bambam would be having lunch at Yugyeom's house. The maknae's parents already considered the Thai boy a second son, and the Korean was relieved to know that at least two foreigners of Got7 were already having a good time on that Christmas Eve. Jinyoung's next plan was to stop at the mall with Mark and buy some gifts before they went to the dinner at the Lim's residence. He knew Jaebeom would bring Youngjae too and when he joined them and Taek-geun at the table, he hoped Mark wouldn't miss his biological family so much. At least till he opened the present he had for him. However, another idea came to his mind. They still have some time left before the dinner and the Korean felt adventurous.

"I think we already bought the whole mall." The young Lim commented, as he watched his boyfriend sigh wearily on the passenger seat. They had so many packages in the trunk of the car that some of them had to be put on the backseat.

"I can't believe we waited almost two hours in a line just to pay for all this stuff." Mark sighed tiredly.

"It's Christmas Eve, babe."

"Shit, tell me about it. I remember how Joey and I...Well, this time of the year is quite chaotic in America too." Mark's expression turned a bit sour.

"It's okay for you to miss him. I would be surprised if you didn't." Jinyoung gave him a reassuring look.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be talking about that. I know how hard you're trying to cheer me up and-"

"I don't want you to feel like you're being forced to have fun. I know that celebrating Christmas with the Lims is not the same thing as celebrating it with the Tuans. It`s not supposed to. I just don't wants us to hide anything from each other. You don't have to pretend to be happy around me." Jinyoung gave him a sympathetic look and put one hand on the side of his face.

"I'm never unhappy around you." Mark said and leaned onto him just to capture his lips. Jinyoung kissed him back, unfastening his seatbelt to bring their faces closer. The American deepened the kiss as his tongue invaded his boyfriend's mouth. Mark explored it, like he did many times before. He looked for an answer he knew he already had. He loved Jinyoung and he couldn't let go of him, not now, not ever. The Korean`s lips never failed to give him a positive response. Yes, their bond was intact. Yes, those were the same lips that declared them ‘wed’. Yet, a sense of shame ran through his soul when Jinyoung mentioned that they shouldn't hide anything from each other. Mark was hiding something. He was hiding a bracelet in his drawer back at the dorm. He was hiding a kiss in the back of his mind, and the desire of more kisses just like that one from someone else. Someone his boyfriend knew very well. Someone very dear to both of them. Someone they both loved unconditionally. Mark suddenly felt like the worst boyfriend in the world.

"Slow down, babe. We still have stuff to do." Jinyoung muttered as he unwillingly broke the kiss. Mark's hand was already inside his pants and he knew that if he didn't stop his lover right there, they would be late for the dinner at the Lims'. The Korean was taken aback by the older's urgency. Mark didn't seem to mind the fact that any stranger who walked into the garage of that mall could easily guess what they were doing inside the car.

"Fuck the other stuff. Let me do you, Jinyoungie." Mark said as he buried his face in his neck and placed tender kisses there. The younger moaned in pleasure, as Mark started stroking him under his pants.

"Geez, babe. I love when you talk like that, but we gotta go back to the dorm, take a shower and get ready for the Christmas feast at Dad's." Jinyoung unwillingly reminded him. Car sex wasn't a novelty for them at that point. They were inside cars all the time, driving to the company, then to the dorm, then to some studio to record a MV or a have a photobook session. All the preparations for Got7's debut kept them too busy, and sometimes they weren't able to choose a place or a time to have sex. The other members mostly used the company vans for work, but those two, had their private ride, so they could 'ride' each other between schedules.

"I'm already feasting on you." Mark whispered, as he unzipped Jinyoung's pants abruptly and took his half erected dick in his mouth. Jinyoung couldn't say anything else. When he felt his lover's hot cave around his length, all he did was grip Mark's hair and bring him closer to his groin. He bit his lip as Mark deep throated him. 

"Fuck, babe. This is so illegal." Jinyoung murmured, as he watched his boyfriend avidly suck on his cock and touch himself with his free hand. Cars passed by them as the Korean tried not to look like he was receiving one the best oral sex of his life. He couldn't help himself when he heard his boyfriend make an erotic sound with his mouth as he licked his tip. He groaned, coming hard and fast in Mark's mouth. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he struggled to keep from screaming his lover's name in that garage. The American swallowed every single drop of cum that escaped from him. He kept on sucking even when it went limp around his lips. When Jinyoung regained his breath, Mark was still working on him.

"Give me more. Give me all of you, Nyoungie." The American whispered as he took his cock out of his mouth just to start sucking on it again. Mark felt like swallowing him whole. He yearned to imprison Jinyoung inside him, so even after he learned about the kiss, he wouldn't be able to get rid of him. He would be inside him.

"Babe, that's enough. Let me blow you and let's get out of here. I don't want us to be arrested on Christmas Eve." The Korean warned. But Mark didn't seem to be paying attention to any word he said. A lady was about to park her car next to them and Jinyoung knew they would be caught if the other didn't lift his head from his lap. He could feel his dick getting hard again as Mark's lips, teeth, tongue and saliva stimulated him all over. "For Christ's sake, stop!" Jinyoung exclaimed as he gripped Mark by the hair and lifted his head abruptly. Only then the American noticed the other car slowly moving closer to theirs. He looked away quickly and wiped his lips as Jinyoung zipped his pants and started the car. He was driving to Daehan cinema multiplex instead of going directly to the dorm. He had plans for them. However, the Korean soon noticed that something was not right. He found Mark's behavior odd. His lover was too quiet as he kept looking out of the window without facing him. "Are you okay? Did I grip your hair too roughly? Tell me what's wrong." He asked, genuinely worried at that point.

"Don't ask. Unless you want to break up with me on this very Christmas Eve." Mark said softly, as he sniffed. Jinyoung's car stopped abruptly. A car almost hit them, but he didn't care. Other drivers were honking at him and screaming obscenities.

"What did you say?" The Korean grabbed Mark by the shoulders desperately and stared at his tear stained face. He saw fear and shame in his eyes. "What the hell did you just say to me?!" The older didn't answer him, he just kept crying inconsolably. A traffic guard knocked on the window of the car and asked the young Lim to move along. Jinyoung let go of Mark and started the car again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry MarkJin stans...


	61. Why

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The way life changes.   
> The way people and things disappear.   
> Then appear, unexpectedly, and hold you close.”  
> ― Nina LaCour

Even though his heart was shattering inside his chest, Jinyoung didn't change his destiny. He planned on taking Mark to the _Sky Rose Garden_ at the top of Daehan cinema earlier and he didn’t want to give up on that idea. He knew Mark had never been there. It was a perfect place for couples and Jinyoung wanted to spend some time alone with his boyfriend before the Christmas feast. Now, as troubled as the other was, he just wanted to sit down with him and talk. The American's words haunted him, but he still took him there. The Korean wasn’t stupid. He could almost guess what Mark was talking about, he could foresee his lover’s crisis of conscience, but a break up was not on his plans. He could even understand why Mark would think he would break up with him, but it still bothered him the fact that Mark even mentioned it. It angered him. Their ceremony of months ago should have obliterated all insecurities Mark had regarding their relationship. Jinyoung hoped his boyfriend would just come clean and end that agony in his soul. 

"Where are we?" Mark wasn't crying anymore, but he looked like he would start sobbing again at any moment.

"Get out of the car, Mark. I want to show you something. I mean, at least I wanted to, before you mentioned the word 'break up'." Jinyoung stated in an upset tone. Mark just did what he was told. They entered the building and took the elevator. They stopped at the 8th floor of the cinema, and as soon as the doors opened, the sight before them took the older's breath away. Many variety of roses and flowers welcomed them. Gorgeous plants surrounded a small patio with tables and chairs. Mark could also see a cozy coffee shop on the other side of the garden, but what really amazed him was the heart-stopping view of the place. One could see the whole Seoul from there. The place was practically empty, since most people were celebrating Christmas Eve elsewhere. And the way the fairy lights adorned the pathway through the tables provided the place an ambience of intimacy and romance. The word romantic indeed fit the place perfectly, but not the American's mood. And by the way Jinyoung was typing fast on his phone, he didn't seem to be in a romantic mood either. It was his fault, and Mark knew that. He completely ruined that Christmas Eve for both of them. Jinyoung intended to surprise his boyfriend taking him there, hoping to provide them some time together as a couple, yet, the older wasn’t sure if they would still be a couple whenever they left that same place. Mark couldn’t help but think how ungrateful he was. While the younger had gone out of his way to make that day special for both of them, Mark presented him with terrible news. Break up kind of news. He told himself that there was nothing he could do to salvage that evening anymore. He felt like a total grinch. He could leave that unpleasant talk for another time, or maybe next year. But he knew that what had happened in that toilet of that restaurant should be addressed soon. He wanted to kiss Jackson so badly...He really missed the Hongkonger, he never stopped lov...

"Is it Dad? Is he wondering about where we are?" Mark asked tentatively, interrupting his own dreary thoughts. Jinyoung didn't answer him, he just kept typing on his phone, and signaled his boyfriend to choose a table. Mark quietly walked to one of them and took a seat that allowed him to properly admire Seoul’s sky. It didn't take long for Jinyoung to join him. Mark swallowed hard when his boyfriend cleared his throat and glared at him. "What was the texting about?" The American asked, rubbing his hands together under the table. He didn’t know where to start. He wished he could have more time to organize his thoughts, prepare some sort of speech, but he knew he couldn’t run away from his boyfriend now. Not after he carelessly mentioned a word his lover hated so much, ‘break up’.

"It doesn't matter. Who is the guy, Mark?" Jinyoung asked coldly.

"What?!" Mark blinked and shifted in his seat uncomfortably, unable to meet the other’s gaze. The Korean kept texting someone under the table, but the American was too distracted to realize what the younger was doing.

"You said I would probably break up with you! So you must have broken our vows. Done something stupid like cheating, or-"

"It wasn't like that. I love you and-"

"Was it JB?" Jinyoung demanded briskly. Mark was wide-eyed.

"What? No! What the hell, Jinyoung! Are you seriously asking me if I slept with your fucking brother?" Mark gritted his teeth. The older was clearly offended with his lover's insinuation. "Do you really think I would betray you and Jae that way!? I thought that after all this time you trusted me enough-" 

"Was it a trainee then? I noticed that since you appeared on that TV reality some other trainees have been hanging around you all the time. There's even this really creepy kid called Lee who wanted me to give a letter to you-"

"Shut he fuck up, Jinyoung! Just shut the fuck up!" Mark raised his voice as he hit his hand on the table. A couple not far away from them eyed the pair for an awkward second.

"Tell me then so I can stop speculating." Jinyoung demanded, keeping his voice still. Mark sighed in frustration. He put one of his hands on the table and showed his palm to the younger.

"Do you see this tiny scar here? It's from our ceremony, back at your grandma's house."

"I know. I have mine too." Jinyoung squinted his eyes.

"You're always with me, Nyoungie. My feelings remain the same. Maybe stronger. I will never stop loving you. We are wed, right?" He gave the younger a sad smile.

"Mark, I swear to God, if you don't go straight to the point I'm really gonna break up with you." Jinyoung warned him.

"The first time I met you at Kirin High it was Jackson who led me to you. It was if I was fated to meet both of you on the same occasion. What a dashing pair you two were. Not even a bit boring. Neither in bed nor out of it."

"I don't get it. What does this have to do with anything? What are you trying to tell me?" Jinyoung asked impatiently. His voice almost faltered. He knew what was coming. He just wanted Mark to be sure of what he was about to say. Once the American said it, he wouldn’t be able to take it back.

"My first time was quite an unusual one. It was wild, it was great! I had the best lovers from Hong Kong and South Korea in my bed at the same time. You guys brought me to this crazy world of yours, without limits, but with a set of rules. And I ended up falling in love with both of you. We had threesomes, we had arrangements, fights, break ups, reconciliations, but my feelings are still...You and Jackson..."

"What happened between you two?" Jinyoung asked quietly.

"I kissed him at your grandma's house and I almost kissed him at the restaurant this morning. I still want to, I-"

"I can't believe this crap! And here I thought we were properly living rule 77, a monogamous, loving relationship! What about the 'private madness only TWO lovers can share' bullshit? What about being MINE and no one else's?! MarkJin against the world? What about all that crap we repeated to each other during that damned ceremony? What about the freaking scar in our hands? What about the blood we shared? And the tears, and our unbreakable bond, and the vows we never swore by the moon?"

"I meant them, every single one of them. The things I said, the things I promised you… All of it, I wasn't faking it. I adore you, Jinyoung. So much it hurts! But this feeling doesn't nullify what I feel for him. I convinced myself that you were the only one for me. I guess I had this romantically conventional idea of love and happily ever after that could only happen to a pair of lovers, but… Not everything is black and white when it comes to feelings. I can't explain it! It's difficult to choose between you two, or who I love more. It’s impossible. I don’t even want to. I was naive to think that I could only love one of you at a time. Please, Nyoungie, try to understand. I’m scared of these feelings too. I never thought this could affect us till-"

"So you wanna have both of us! Is that what you're trying to say? You want the best Korean cock and the best Chinese cock fucking your ass? Am I correct?" The younger asked crudely. He only asked for the truth now.

"Maybe." Mark said at once. Jinyoung gave him a murderous look. So he tried to explain himself a bit more. "Look, I know how it sounds like! But I'm just being honest with you! I love you, and I love him too! I thought that keeping you would make me avert my eyes from him, and that what I felt for him would go away at some point. I imagined I only saw him like a really good friend, but there's more to it. I kissed him, and I could confirm it. There's so much more...I need him, I can't deny it! And I’m not talking about a mere physical attraction here, I’m talking about something way deeper than that. It’s not just sex. I wanna be able to talk to him like we used to do, I wanna hold his hand and watch the same stupid drama on TV, I want us to have dates, I wanna be able to hold him in my arms and call him mine. I miss his warmth, I miss all of him. I wanna be with him completely. His friendship doesn’t suffice anymore. Perhaps it never did. I forced myself to believe that I had forgotten him because I was already in love with you too. I myself am trying to come with terms with it since I kissed him at your grandma’s house. It was supposed to be a harmless test, a simple one. I expected to have the same proof I had when I kissed JB. I thought everything would be normal after I kissed him. But Jack is not JB. I felt like I had just cheated on you. I failed terribly, I failed us as a couple Jinyoung. Call me a whore, a slut, a liar, or whatever the hell you want. I know it’s hard for you to listen to all this. I'm sorry, but these are the facts. Would you rather if I lied to you, or kept you in the dark?" Mark struggled to explain himself, but the younger didn’t look forgiving.

"What if I tell you it's impossible to have us both?" Jinyoung shook his head in disappointment.

"I don't wanna break up with you, just like I didn't want to break up with Jackson before. But there's nothing I can do to stop you from leaving me. I couldn't stop him from leaving me back then. I cannot expect you to understand." Mark snorted and confessed sadly. "Suddenly rule 70 makes so much sense now." The American said bitterly. He knew he was going to lose his boyfriend in a way or another. He would probably fuck up the whole dynamics of Got7. He didn’t know if he would be able to face his stepfather or his friends after they found out he was a betrayer. His life in Korea was over. That Christmas was clearly going to end up in disaster. Jinyoung was silent for a moment and then something in his expression changed.

"You finally said it! Gosh, was that really that hard?" Jinyoung muttered to himself. Mark frowned at him. 

"What?" The older asked wondering what he meant. At that same moment someone approached their table, grabbed a chair from a table nearby and sat beside the Korean. Jinyoung didn't look surprised when Jackson joined them. Mark's frown deepened. _Was the Hongkonger the one Jinyoung was texting earlier? Did the Korean suspect that something was going on between them? Was Jinyoung about to lash out at both of them?_ The older didn't know what to think.

"How's the family?" The Korean asked casually, as he gave the Hongkonger a pat on the back. Mark was completely lost. _Wasn't Jinyoung supposed to be angry and demand explanations from him?_ The American suddenly had no idea of what was about to happen.

"Grateful to you.” The Hongkonger looked delighted. “Wow, I can't still believe you flew them all the way from Hong Kong on JYPE's jet so we could spend Christmas together. I just left them at that damn five star hotel. They are still astounded by it. They informed me you also paid for their stay too. I owe you one, pal. You're one hell of a friend, Jin." Jackson said with a big smile on his face.

"And so are you. Did you bring what I asked?" The Korean asked calmly.

"Yeah. I did." Jackson replied quietly, and glanced at Mark. He seemed to finally acknowledge his presence there. In fact, it seemed that he avoided looking at the older. Mark shot him a quizzical look. But when the Hongkonger took a bracelet out of his pocket and put it on the table, the older gasped. "Here it is. I found it exactly where you told me it should be." Jackson said as he turned to his best friend. 

"You knew about it all this time?" Mark eyed Jinyoung in disbelief.

"What? That although you couldn't keep him you refused to let to go this damn bracelet? That you hid it in the same bedroom we sleep together? Couldn't you even try harder to hide it from me?" Jinyoung accused him mercilessly. He got the answer he wanted, but he still wanted to teach his lover a lesson. Hiding things from him was definitely not okay. Mark was unable to formulate a coherent sentence.

"How? I mean, when did you find-"

"I found it through your stuff weeks ago! I was looking for a clean shirt to put on after practice and I wanted to wear one of yours to give me more motivation. Then I saw the proof of your betrayal. Do I mean that little to you?" The Korean shook his head dejectedly. Mark didn't have anything to say in his defense. He knew his boyfriend was a good actor, but the fact that the younger managed to pretend that everything was all right between them even after finding the hidden bracelet, made him question how well he could read his own lover.

"That wasn't cool, Mark. You shouldn't have hidden this. And the way you kept making passes at me all the time when Jin wasn't looking, that was beyond disrespectful. You should've stopped when I told you to. I kinda feel violated, you know?" Jackson added a bit stressed, tearing his eyes from him. The American was flabbergasted.

"Excuse me?!" Mark eyed the Hongkonger in disbelief. He wondered if he was having a nightmare. _Why were those two were acting like that? Why the hell the Hongkonger was saying those things about him? Was he trying to keep his friendship with Jinyoung intact by making himself look like a victim?_ The American felt like hyperventilating pretty soon.

"Just tell Jin how you've been acting lately. Even though I have a boyfriend, you keep hitting on me nonstop. What kind of person does that? You call me all the time, you send me nudes, you stalk me, you suffocate me! What's your deal, Mark? Do you really think I would fall for your charms all over again if you kept offering your body like that?" Jackson sounded strangely disappointed, yet, he still wouldn’t meet his eyes. Jinyoung gave his boyfriend a disgusted look. The American ran a nervous hand through his hair. He couldn't believe his own ears. He felt like punching the Hongkonger.

"Jack?! What the hell?! Tell him the truth, okay? I kissed you in Jinhae. Okay, that was wrong. But that was it! I never made a pass at you! I mean, at the restaurant this morning I got too close-"

"Stop lying, Mark. It's not helping anyone! Just admit you want to turn all of this into a private madness that can be shared by three. Tell your boyfriend how there's enough room in this relationship for one more." Jackson cut him off and winked at him. Mark felt like he was going insane. His mind still couldn’t register the patterns of that sick joke. A nausea assaulted his stomach. He looked around him and his vision began to blur. Jackson eyed him with genuine concern.

"Guys, please, if this is a fucking nightmare, I wanna wake the fuck up before I pass out." Mark said as he tried to get up from the table. Jinyoung steadied him carefully, his magnetic eyes trained on him. The American saw the Hongkonger get up abruptly and come to his aid.

"Hey, it's all right. Just breathe, okay? Let's get you out of here, babe. Come on." The Korean wrapped his arms around Mark’s waist. His voice was tender, his features softened, his touch was kind and his eyes full of love. Mark immediately read him like an open book. He finally understood what was going on. When a guilty Jackson took a firm grip on his arm he became certain of it. They weren’t really mad at him, they were acting. A prank was in action and he would not let those two get away with it. Mark didn’t feel like fainting anymore, but he still pretended he did. He guessed those two would break character as soon as they realized their plan had gone too far.

Jackson and Jinyoung practically carried the American out of the building. Mark kept his eyes closed and put on his best impression of the sleeping beauty just to mess with them. He remained ‘unconscious’ when they put him in the backseat of the car and started driving to the dorm. He had decided he wouldn’t call them out before he understood what their real intentions were. So he just laid on the backseat and listened to them arguing in the front seats.

"I told you this shit was too extreme. Mark would never be able to handle your Christmas prank." Jackson said disapprovingly. “He’ll be pissed when he wakes up-”

"Really? You're the one who kept roasting him the minute you arrived. I just instructed you to be unpredictable. I just went along with it. Where did you get those ideas by the way? You felt violated? Nudes and passes? Mark won't even send me a pic of his fucking foot if I begged on my knees. I can't help but feel that he's still punishing me for what I did at Yugyeom's party....Anyways, your ludicrous accusations almost made me laugh. I mean, Mark stalking you? Seriously?" Jinyoung interjected. The prank was his idea. He wanted to punish his boyfriend a little for hiding things from him. Especially the ones which could make him utter the word ‘break up’.

"He was supposed to figure out it was a fucking prank. That's why I uttered those insanities. You are the actor. I had to improvise. I hoped he would call us out and realize that we would never say shit like that to him in our right minds. Those accusations were ludicrous for a reason." Jackson scoffed.

"By the way, were you surprised to find the bracelet in his drawer?" Jinyoung asked out of the blue. “ I mean, were you surprised to know he still have feelings for you?”

"I was surprised to know that you knew. I was about to tell you what was going on between us this morning, but when my folks showed up, I just couldn’t. When you texted me later and told me to go to the dorm and search through his things I thought I would find drugs or something. You sacred the shit out of me."

"You heard all the conversation we had at the table before you arrived. I purposely let put my phone on speaker in order to let you know how he felt about you. So, the big question here is, are you ready to try this again?" Jinyoung went straight to the point.

"Well, you're the pathologically psychotic jealous boyfriend, not me. You should ask yourself if you're ready to share. You are the one who ruined everything last time. You stole a fucking bracelet from his wrist and forced us to break up so you could have him all to yourself. You promptly informed me that there was no room in that relationship for me. You shut me out and fucking broke my heart in order to monopolize him. Not long ago you didn’t even want us to be roommates. You cut him up and played with his goddam blood in some weird ritual, carving your name all over him just to prove that you can. You marked him as yours, you sick fuck!" Jackson accused, and Jinyoung couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s outburst.

"I love you, Jack. I really do. But don’t make fun of our ceremony, okay? That was necessary. We were going through turbulent times and that helped. We were able to borrow energy from each other. By the way, I never carved my name on him. I understand that you are finding difficult to believe that I am able to handle a responsible with the two of you. But if seeing you two together really bothered me, I wouldn’t suggest it in the first place. Not after everything that happened before. If it's you, I really don't mind sharing what’s mine. His heart is kinda yours too. I am yours too. You might think he’s the only one craving to get you back, but I missed you like crazy, you know?" the Korean took his eyes of the road for a moment and glanced at his friend. He wanted to convey his sincerity through his eyes, in case his words weren’t enough.

"Well, I’m not gonna lie. You were a freak in bed. I couldn’t help but lament the end of our ‘friends with benefits’ arrangement. I kinda miss us too.” The Hongkonger giggled, as if he reminisced their unconventional adventures of the past.

“Oh, that means the idol Eric Fucking Nam is not able to satiate your sexual desires, my friend?” Jinyoung smirked, making the other roll his eyes at him.

“I don’t kiss and tell. But a break up won’t be difficult for neither of us. It’s clear we are better as friends. After all, they guy is married to his job. Since his break up with Mark, his career became his priority. Music for him will always come first. I want more than a lover who’s really committed to his job.” Jackson said pensive.

“Both Mark and I can give you more than that. Once you agree that we’re going to be boyfriends again, you’ll see that no one will be able to satisfy you like we do. I’m sure Mark feels the same. You heard the guy. It was hard to get answers out of him, but I still got them.” Jinyoung said cockily.

“Will you really be okay with me kissing, hugging, and fucking him? Won’t you try to kill me once you see me doing all kinds of stuff with your boyfriend? Because if the three of us get together again and you suddenly change your mind, I’m not forgiving you this time. I’ll never be able to trust you again. Mark and I will team up to beat the shit out of you, I mean it.” Jackson’s warning was firm, but it didn’t intimidate his friend.

“Deal.” Jinyoung said confidently. Jackson swallowed, and after he glanced at the backseat to confirm the American’s ‘unconscious’ state, he addressed the Korean again.

“Look, I don’t wanna lose you Jin. Perhaps, you would like to give it some more thought? What happens when we get into fights and one of us will have to decide which side he is going to support? And what if two of us decide to break? What happens to the third party? How are we going to-”

"Hey, man, relax! Be more positive, okay? Have more faith in us. We can learn from our mistakes. We know him better now, he knows us better. We can become better at this. Every throuple has problems once in a while. But we didn’t even start this thing yet, and you’re already assuming the worst and talking about break ups?” Jinyoung tried to reason with him.

“Can you blame me for worrying? I should be anticipating problems here, since you aren’t. I mean, especially because you aren’t. This polyamory thing is quite beautiful in theory, but last time we tried, we sucked at it. We are going to debut soon, we’ll be working together and I know routine can be hard on us. Being colleagues and lovers at the same time might be complicated. I don’t wanna have to worry about your jealousy while we’re in the middle of a photoshoot, an interview, or a fucking concert.” Jackson clarified. Even though his friend had obviously changed his ‘wicked ways’ he couldn’t help but worry.

“I assure you I’m not fucking this up this time. I was an insensitive bastard back then, and a bit immature. Actually I was more than that. I was greedy, petty, arrogant, manipulative and not even a bit lovable. I messed up multiple times and I was convinced that Jaebeom and you were more suitable for him than I ever could be. I had never been in love before and I didn't know how to deal with everything that was going on with my mom. I burned places, I played people, I lied and schemed. I made a bunch of horrendous mistakes. I was too damaged, love was a foreign land for me, and I refused to be trapped by it. When I stopped fighting my feelings for him, everything else went to hell. I told myself that love justified most of the stunts I pulled. I wanted to secure him by my side no matter what. I feared that you and my brother could easily take him away from me. I kinda made you my rivals. But how could I ever compete with JB's good guy vibes and your charms? I hurt you, I hurt JB and him. I hurt myself too. Deep down I believed that he was too good for me. That I didn't deserve him. So I thought that it would be difficult for him to choose me with such a strong competition going on. I used all the ammunition I had at my disposal. I thought I could win using everything grandpa taught me throughout the years. I’m not that kid anymore.” Jinyoung said quietly.

"It was all in your head. There was never a competition. Mark would've chosen you even if you hadn't fought so hard to fucking possess him. Even though you were just a jerk to him, he was an emotional adrenaline junkie. He chastised your bad boy attitude, but at the same time he was hooked on your unpredictableness. I can imagine the emotional high he felt when you, the infamous Junior, told him you loved him for the first time. I mean, I, the Don Juan of Kirin High easily gave in and soon confessed my feelings for him. But you? The guy who claimed that would never fall in love? He must have savored the event like he had injected the most powerful drug in his system. He must’ve replayed in his head that moment at the cafeteria millions of times. I can only imagine the kind of euphoria that hit him when he heard those sweet words coming from your mouth, those three magic words he had waited so long to hear and used to be so foreign to your lips. In the end he managed to effectively come between us, man! I always thought that would be impossible.” Jackson commented as he analyzed their relationship from another angle.

"Wait, you’re actually saying he stayed with me because I played hard to get longer than you did?” Jinyoung smirked.

“I never played hard to get. I never had to. But it kinda hurt my ego to see that you managed to get under his skin so fast.” Jackson snorted.

“When we met Mark, he was a virgin when it came to sex, but you and I were virgins when it came to love. We were stupid to think we were the ones in control of that relationship. He had us wrapped around his finger all the time, without even knowing it. And here we are. I guess we all learned something from each other from that experience.” Jinyoung pointed out.

“That MarkSon and MarkJin would eventually end up as MarkJinSon?” The Hongkonger chuckled.

"I’m just glad MarkJinbeom is out of the equation, that would be weird as fuck.” Jinyoung said and both of them laughed out loud. “By the way, you should've seen his face when I asked him if he was fucking JB." Jinyoung tried to control his laughing as he parked the car in front of the dorm.

"No, you didn't! Oh, my God, you're such a heartless bastard! You just called him a home wrecker." Jackson shook his head at him, as they got the American out of the car and got into the elevator.

"Well, he shouldn’t have hidden the bracelet, he should have told me about that kiss in Jinhae. You, my friend, should have told me. I was just playing with his guilt a little. If you both had come to me earlier we wouldn’t be having this kind of complications on Christmas Eve. ” Jinyoung commented as he pushed the button of the 7th floor.

“Does he usually take this long to wake up? I’m surprised you didn’t freak out earlier. Eric told me you cried when you both found Mark unconscious on the floor of our dorm. I also remember you freaking out when he passed out at the bathroom of the company. Now you look pretty composed to me. You’re more thick-skinned these days. You did great at the restaurant while Eric was clearly taking a dig at you. You had me impressed.” Jackson complimented him as he took the keys of the dorm out of his pocket.

“When you and Mark went to the bathroom and we were alone at the table, he told me to look after Mark. He even thanked me for making his ‘Little Rooster’ happy. I knew he was about to give us his blessings, but then some stupid fan showed up to ask for autographs.” Jinyoung said as they entered their dorm and carried the American to the bedroom.

“I’m sure Eric meant what he said, and even what he didn’t have time to say.” Jackson commented, as they laid Mark carefully on the bed. “By the way, this fainting thing should be addressed. I saw Mark having one of this panic attacks at your dad’s house. Remember I told you about the episode I witnessed at the Lims’ kitchen? When Dorine threw stuff at him while he hid under a table? Mark should be doing therapy, seriously. I still can’t believe he forgave his mom. That woman is nasty and abusive. I wouldn’t have the kind of compassion for-”

“Well, you are not him. We shouldn’t interfere in their affairs. He lost too much already. I understand why he wouldn’t want to lose her too. Dorine is still his mother. It’s better than have none. I honestly wouldn’t question the love of a son for their mother.” Jinyoung cut him off and sighed. Jackson nodded, and quickly reminded himself that his friend knew more about the loss of a family member than him. The Korean noticed his disconcerted expression, so he continued in a more lighter tone. “Regarding the therapy thing, I’m sure that you can help me convince him to see someone who can help him work through his childhood traumas. Two boyfriends are more supportive than one, don’t you think?” he smirked. The Hongkonger nodded in agreement as he sat on the edge of the bed and eyed the older with genuine alarm.

“Shouldn’t we try to wake him up or something? He should’ve been up already.” Jackson pointed out as he ran a hand though his hair and took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

“Don’t you dare smoke in my fucking room.” Jinyoung said an took the pack of cigarettes from his hand. Jackson groaned and glared at him.

“You’re gonna be late for the dinner at the principal’s house if Mark doesn’t wake up in time. Are you gonna tell your dad we both gave his stepson a heart attack? I’m starting to think that there’s something really wrong with him.” An anxious Jackson insisted, wondering why the Korean wasn’t as preoccupied as him.

“You know what? This moment reminds of the day Mark said ‘yes’ to our throuple arrangement. He had made a scene at Yugyeom’s house, remember? He pushed our poor sunshine to the floor. JB left with Youngjae, our maknae basically kicked us out, Mark was heartbroken and we took him to your house. During the car drive he ended up rubbing in my face that you two were going to make use of rule 77. I was so damn mad at you…And him…And then I turned the tables on the MarkSon couple. You were so sure he wouldn’t agree with rule 70! I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty shocked too.” The Korean’s grin grew large, while his friend just eyed him quizzically. Jinyoung came closer to the bed, folded his arms across his chest and continued. “He never ceases to shock us. But I’ve gotta say that there’s one thing he’s terrible at, acting.” Jinyoung giggled as he stared down at the American. “Come on, babe. If you keep this up, Seunnah will have a heart attack. Open your eyes.”

The Korean kicked the bed gently, and Mark realized he couldn’t ever fool the actor Park Jinyoung. He admitted his own defeat, and opened his eyes. When he sat on the bed his eyes travelled from Jackson to Jinyoung. A small smile played on his lips. The words that came out of his mouth amused the pair before him.

“Nyoungie, what do you think Taek-Geun will say if you bring two boyfriends to the Christmas feast?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another ship is dead, so another one could prevail.  
> Hope your hearts can survive the blow Yorubun!  
> The end of this fic is near.
> 
> P.S  
> Not sure if some of you celebrate this, and I know it depends on your country's calendar, culture, and so on, but happy LGBT Pride Month!<3
> 
> "It takes some intelligence and insight to figure out you're gay and then a tremendous amount of balls to live it and live it proudly."- Jason Bateman


	62. Sigh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Love loves to love love."  
> \- James Joyce

"I am going to take a shower now. While I'm at it, you guys can decide who I'm gonna fuck first tonight." He smirked and walked into the bathroom. The two watched him in awe as he closed the door behind him. 

"Did he just steal my line?" The Hongkonger commented as he shook his head in disbelief. Mark nodded and tried to hide his giggle. Both of them remembered Jackson had uttered those same words when Mark agreed to their throuple arrangement at Jackson's house long time ago. They became silent for a moment.

"You guys are terrible pranksters. You two almost gave me a heart attack earlier. I admit I wouldn't have find out JinSon was fucking with me if you guys didn't look so worried when I was about to hyperventilate." Mark said, observing how the other didn't move from the edge of the bed and kept staring at the bathroom door.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Jackson said as he glanced at the package of cigarettes Jinyoung had thrown on the floor.

"Are you nervous?" Mark asked, as he slowly approached the Hongkonger on the edge of the bed and back hugged him. He felt Jackson relax under his touch, but he didn't turn around to face him. Mark sniffed him and bathed in his warmth. The same very warmth he longed for a while, which has always been there engraved on Jackson’s skin like a tattoo. He put one hand on the Hongkonger’s chest and felt his heart pounding in his chest, echoing unceasingly with his own heartbeats. Jackson’s mere breathing seemed to invoke his soul, ignite the familiar desire they felt for each other. He knew their connection wasn’t broken. He remembered their private world and how each fiber of his body screamed for his touch. He recalled everything about those uncontrollable feelings, how it felt natural to wish that Jackson could become another part of him.

"Aren't you?" The younger whispered.

"Why should I? It's not like he didn't fucked us before." Mark muttered against his ear before placing a tender kiss on his earlobe. Jackson shivered a little.

"I'm not talking about the sex. I'm talking about everything else. Do you think we are ready?" He sighed, as his hand caressed one of Mark's arms that still held him tightly. The latter kept his head on the younger's shoulder as he rubbed his cheek against his neck. His movements tickled around the younger’s ears.

"I promise you I won't hurt you again like the way I did. I love you Jia Er." Mark assured him. "Jin loves you too. And you love us, right?" He heard the Hongkonger sigh one more time, so he disentangled himself from him and slid to the edge of the bed to sit beside him. Jackson's eyes still wouldn't meet his. Then Mark sat on his lap abruptly, in one single movement. The younger lost his balance and both feel off the bed.

"Shit, are you okay?" Jackson asked the American who swiftly got on top of him.

  


"You didn't answer." Mark straddled the Hongkonger on the floor and leaned onto him. The latter blushed, as he felt Mark's butt brush against his groin. "Look at you, you're shy! Jackson Wang's flushed cheeks is a rare sight to witness." The older announced amusedly as the younger clicked his tongue.

"I do love you and Jin, very much. That's why I fear hating you both if this doesn't work out." He admitted quickly and tried to get Mark off of him without much success. The American looked satisfied with his answer and with the color red that adorned his impeccable features.

"It will work out, if we simply allow it to work out." The older said softly. The Hongkonger wriggled under him.

"You'd better get up before-"

"What's with you? We're a couple again, remember? I don't mind if you get hard while I'm simply straddling you." Mark whispered in Mandarin as he pushed his butt onto his pelvis and grinded against him.

"M-mark, Jin will come out of that bathroom at any minute." Jackson tried not to stutter as the older eyed him seductively and licked his lips. The younger swallowed and gave up on trying to get up from the floor.

"Let him come." The sexy American still whispered very close to his ear. The way his hot breath brushed against the skin of the Hongkonger's neck, and the way he moved his hips against his, was more than an invitation for a simple make out session. "Or perhaps, you might want to come first." He added suggestively, as one of his hands travelled to the waistband of Jackson's shorts.

"We're gonna be late for the Christmas thing at your stepfather's-"

"We're not getting up from this floor until we consummate our rekindled relationship." Mark cut him off abruptly as he shoved his hand inside the younger's shorts and gave his boner a little tug. "You have no idea of how much I want this. I’ve missed you Gaga. Haven't you missed me?" he said sweetly as he lifted his head a bit and stared deep into his eyes. Jackson lost all his restraints as he heard the nickname come out of the older's lips. He grabbed the American's face and kissed him passionately. It wasn't like that chaste kiss shared at Jinhae, it was eager, hungry. Mark introduced his tongue into Jackson's mouth as he slowly got reacquainted with his taste and the erotic noises coming from him. Jackson moaned inside his warm cave as he felt the American stroke him with more urgency. The Hongkonger's firm hands slipped underneath Mark's shirt and played with his sensitive nipples. The older groaned and started giving downward tugs on Jackson's shorts in order to have more access to his manhood and stimulate him better. When they broke the kiss in order to breathe, Jackson was already hard as a rock. He grabbed an aroused Mark by the waist and flipped him over. The Hongkonger was on top of the American now. Mark gazed at him intensely and brought one of the Hongkonger's fingers to his lips. Jackson eyed him, mesmerized by the naughty way Mark sucked on his fingertips.

"Where do you guys put the lube?" Jackson asked, without taking his eyes of the movements of Mark's tongue and teeth around his fingers. The American stopped his motions for a second and extended his arm to reach an small object under the bed.

"I remember we left it here last night. We were too exhausted to put it somewhere else." Mark replied as he gave the bottle to the younger.

"You guys were having fun without me, huh? Well, I guess it's my turn now." Jackson said sensuously as he quickly got rid of his shorts and underwear. Mark watched attentively the way his muscled thighs flexed with each movement. Jackson's dick was thick and ready for action. The older salivated as he imagined himself being impaled by it. Deep, fast and hard. Just like he remembered.

"We all can have fun together from now on." Mark said excitedly as he took his eyes away from him to also remove his own clothes. He swiftly pulled down his pants and underwear, anticipating the weight of the Hongkonger's body upon him. He yearned to feel the intensity of his penetration, that familiar dazzling rhythm inside him.

"How about you top me this time? You never did it before." The Hongkonger suggested, as he leaned on Mark's legs and pushed a lubed finger inside his own ass. "There are no damn rules to keep you from doing it now." 

"Yeah?" An uncertain Mark muttered, as he felt a wave of curiosity mixed with temptation run through him. "I'm not gonna lie, I thought about fucking your ass since the day we had our first threesome." Mark whispered, only for him to hear. Jackson smirked and spread lube on Mark's fingers.

  


"I know you're not used to take the lead. So let me help you with this." The Hongkonger said as he spread his legs and used Mark's fingers to stretch himself. The American could orgasm right there, just by watching his own fingers being used to scissor the Hongkonger's hole. "Are you enjoying this, Markiepoo?" Jackson commented in a provocative tone, as he noticed Mark stroking his own cock with his other hand. The older looked anxious to have him in a way he never had before. His cock longed for a dip in that foreign land which only Jinyoung had access to. He coated his erection with enough lube to facilitate the planned invasion. The hand stroking his length followed the same pace of the fingers buried inside the Hongkonger.

"Let's do this." Mark said firmly as he pulled the younger to him, making the younger sit on his aching hard on. Jackson let him slip his dick inside him in one motion, and before he could properly get used to the burning sensation that assaulted him, he started to ride the older. Jackson always bottomed like that for the Korean. He knew how Jinyoung loved to see his painful expression turn into one of total bliss after a few seconds. He liked it rough too.

"Fuck, you're so warm. You're always so warm. I love you." Mark whispered, as he felt Jackson's walls welcome him completely, squeezing his throbbing dick. The Hongkonger also conveyed his love in Mandarin and leaned in him for a quick kiss. He rode his dick like a skilled cowboy. The Korean could certainly hear them from the bathroom. The walls of the bedroom echoed their grunting, gasping, moaning, groaning and dirt talk.

"Do you like being inside me, sweetheart? Show me how you craved for this ass of mine." Jackson said boldly as he got into the reverse cowboy position. Mark gasped when the younger removed his cock from his hole just to sit on it again, but this time with his back towards Mark's face, giving the American full view of his firm behind. The older almost came as the other bounced up and down on him rapidly. Mark took hold of his ass and made the Hongkonger sink deeper on his erection as he pushed his hips upwards. The penetration was even more intense, and Jackson moaned loudly as Mark's dick hit his prostate. "Pound this ass as much as you want. It's all yours." Jackson groaned as he held himself up a bit, inviting Mark's thrusts into him. The older immediately sit up and rammed his perfect ass. Within a second they were already doing it in doggy-style. They jumped on the bed to make themselves more comfortable with the new position. Jackson undulated and thrust against Mark's dick, loving the way the older’s balls slapped against his butt. The American responded with harder and deeper thrusts as he gripped his hips firmly with one hand, and masturbated Jackson with the other. Now that the younger was on all fours, and Mark had full control of his behind, the angle of penetration allowed him to go deeper and harder into the Hongkonger's anus. They couldn’t get enough of each other.

After a few more thrusts, Jackson felt the older's pulsing cock twitch as he tensed up and announced he was about to come. Mark's cock started to pulse in his anus, and in an instant, he could feel the American shoot his load inside him. Mark felt an indescribable sense of lightness, warmth and extreme pleasure as the younger's anal muscles milked his cock of the last of its load. As he still tried to recover from his mind-blowing orgasm, he rolled the younger over, made him lay on his back and started blowing him. Jackson's ass was still dripping with cum as Mark sucked on his dick, and finger-fucked him. The American was so focused on his task that he didn't even notice when a naked Jinyoung came out of the bathroom. Mark gasped in the middle of the blowjob when he felt a l finger doused with lube approach his rear. He was about to pause his suckling and turn around, but Jackson gripped his hair and shoved his dick deeper inside his throat. Mark's body quivered with pleasure when he realized he was about to be dominated by both of them. He removed his finger out of the Hongkonger's ass to steady himself and get in the position the Korean wanted him to. Jinyoung's body was still wet from the shower. Mark could feel some droplets of water falling on his back when the Korean grabbed him by the hips and spread his legs. Jackson paced the blow job as if he intended to make that moment last longer than he could usually handle. It didn’t take long for Jinyoung's tongue to go deep into the older's ass, and Mark couldn't help but feel his cock come alive one more time. The fact that he had Jackson's dick in his mouth and Jinyoung's tongue in his hole was enough to get him ready for round 2. Suddenly, the grip on Mark's hair tightened, forcing him to lift his head. A string of spit hung from his bottom lip, but he didn’t dare to wipe it off. Mark's eyes met Jackson's and he could see how the younger was enjoying the show that was going on behind the older. The American saw Jinyoung's fingers brush the hand which Jackson was using to grip his hair. The two seemed to communicate through simple touches. Mark was taken by surprise when the Hongkonger thrust his hip forward, parted his mouth again with his engorged cock and resumed fucking his mouth at the same time Jinyoung entered him from behind.

The Korean encouraged Mark to take Jackson's dick deeper into his throat. The Hongkonger instructed Mark to take more of Jinyoung inside his hole. Mark obediently complied. He was eager to. Jackson's cock brushed across the inside his cheek as it fucked to the back of his throat over and over again, till white threads of bubble stretched out from the head of Jackson's cock to his mouth. Jackson removed his hands from his head to keep him from gagging as Jinyoung kept pummeling inside him. Jackson was still coming hard when Mark's mouth was allowed to release his dick. Cum shots adorned the older's face. His eyelids, lips, and nose were covered by the Hongkonger's fluids. Mark was already exhausted from being on all fours, so he collapsed on Jackson while Jinyoung still thrust into him. The Hongkonger kissed him, tasting his own semen on his lips. They panted and whispered endearments to each other in Mandarin. The American felt the familiar explosion of sensations inside of him when his Korean boyfriend brushed against his prostrate repetitively. He was already having an anal orgasm when he felt Jinyoung's cum shoot inside of him. While spreading kisses all over his lover's back, the Korean leaned on him and slipped a hand between Mark and the Hongkonger's lower parts. He quickly realized the older had come without having his dick touched. With a pleased sigh he also collapsed on top of Mark. The three of them remained locked in a tight embrace for a few seconds, before a complaint was voiced.

"I really love you guys, but I'm kinda being crushed here." Jackson informed them, since he was the one supporting the weight of two bodies upon him. Mark chuckled, Jinyoung giggled and they both got off of him. Jackson used the sheets to clean up Mark's face and the vestiges of cum on their bodies.

The trio remained silent for some minutes while they simple kissed, caressed and held each other. There was no room for jealousy or resentment between them, only love. Oceans of unmeasurable love. In which they dived in and lost themselves through its continuous waves. A private madness of three. A connection strong and everlasting just like the depths of the seas. 

Jinyoung didn’t want to get up from that bed, but he knew they had to get up at some point. However, before he announced their need for a shower, he grabbed an object from the bedside table and handed it to Jackson.

"Now that you two seem to have had enough time to get reacquaint with each other, I guess we should do this now." The Korean held the Hongkonger's hand and put the bracelet in his palm. The very bracelet that once was stolen, given back, and then hidden. The couple bracelet that was identical as the band Jackson always wore since the day he bought them at the mall with Mark. Even though they had broken up, the Hongkonger never stopped wearing his. No one ever asked him why. The answer would have been too obvious. Jackson stared at the young Lim for a while. Mark saw them communicate silently. Then the Hongkonger nodded and turned to face the older.

"Will you give me the honor of putting this on its rightful place one more time?" Jackson smiled at Mark. The latter simply nodded. Jinyoung eyed them fondly. His heart felt lighter at that moment. He knew Mark would want to keep that bracelet the same way he wanted that scar on his hand to never disappear. The delighted expression on his face now, as he gazed at the object, was a proof of it. Mark had faced tragedy, loss, and guilt for too long. Abandonment kept him company for many troubled years. Jinyoung hoped that he and Jackson could always keep Mark away from that kind of loneliness. He wanted to make him feel joy, instead of more pain. He would do his best to be his lover, his friend, his family and everything the older needed him to be. Jinyoung believed that the relationship they had just agreed to have, had nothing to do with shame, on the contrary, it was something the three of them felt proud to have. Their bond was unbreakable.

"Now we are wed." The Korean whispered as Jackson slipped the band around the older's wrist. The Hongkonger and Mark kissed, and then they kissed Jinyoung. The American laid between them, with one leg entangled with Jinyoung's and the other trapped by Jackson's firm thighs. When the kisses were over, the older eyed the pair quizzically.

"What about you two? What symbolizes your connection with one another? I mean, I have a scar on my hand and a bracelet on my wrist." The American commented as his eyes travelled from one to the other.

"Old married couples don't need rings or anything palpable to stay married." Jackson huffed. Jinyoung smirked.

"The truth is, Jack and I had couple rings a few years back. I don't usually wear any kind of jewelry or accessory, I can't get really used to it. So I ended up losing my ring somewhere. He was so mad that he stopped wearing his. He made me wear a tongue piercing as a punishment." Jinyoung clarified to the older.

"Oh my God, I remember your tongue piercing! So that's the story behind it, huh?" Mark shook his head amusedly.

"I kept it even after the punishment period was over. It made blowjobs more exciting." Jinyoung winked at the Hongkonger. "But I got rid of it when I moved back to Dad's house."

"I'm not buying this guy anything anymore." Jackson pouted and stuck out his tongue at the Korean. The gesture was so undeniably cute that both Jinyoung and Mark responded with 'awws' at the same time. Jackson just rolled his eyes at them.

"Hey, Jack, who needs rings now when we can both use on single ring at the same time?" Jinyoung said suggestively as he gave Mark's butt a light smack. The American yelped in surprise. The other two loved to make him blush, but the older grabbed a pillow and covered his face with it.

The ringtone of Mark's phone interrupted their lovely talk. Jinyoung picked up his boyfriend's pants from the floor and took the phone out of its pocket to check who was calling.

"Is it your Dad?" Jackson asked curiously.

"My brother. He's probably wondering where the hell we are. We're fashionably late." The Korean said as he ignored Jaebeom's call and grabbed both his boyfriend arms and tried to pull them from the bed. "I need another shower, and you're both coming with me this time. Can't risk leaving you two on this bed alone. We really need to get ready now." Jinyoung demanded in a firm voice. However, both Mark and Jackson had other plans. They did follow him to the bathroom, they did showered together, however, they both took turns on the Korean's ass while they were at it.

After a couple of hours they were properly dressed at the front door of the Lim's residence. They could hear loud Kpop music coming from the house. Jinyoung was about to open the door when an annoyed Youngjae opened it for them.

"Finally! Do you guys know what time is it? We were worried. The turkey has gone cold by the way!" The boy was about to complain a bit more, but before he could say something else JB pulled the three of them into the house.

"Took you time, huh? Keep these kids occupied, otherwise I'm gonna whoop their asses. I’ll be in the kitchen." Jaebeom's tone was pleading as he disappeared from the living room.

When the trio surveyed place, they were shocked to see Bambam, Yugyeom, Taehyung and Jungkook dancing in the living room while singing karaoke. Mark almost had a stroke when he saw the two soccer players there.

"What the fuck are they doing here?" A vexed Mark asked abruptly as he turned off the TV. The four teenagers eyed him in surprise.

"It's okay, hyung. They are friends now." Youngjae informed him quickly.

"Is that right?" Jinyoung gave the maknaes a disturbing look.

"Taehyung and I are going out. Yugyeom is friends with Kookie. We're just hanging out. I don't see a problem in that. Jaebeom said we could come and bring friends if we wanted to. I'm sure we can all get along if we try." Bambam announced boldly. The whole room took some time to register the 'going out' part of his speech. Mark was obviously not comfortable with those soccer players in his Dad’s house. He was ready to censure Got7’s maknaes for getting involved with those two.

"Are you out of your mind? The problem here is that those two snakes are not our-"

"Mark, sweetheart, it's Christmas, right? Let's exercise our Christmas spirit and let bygones be bygones." Jackson cut him off and held him back by the arm, before he started lashing out. 

"Jinyoung is helping Mino and Zico in jail. Jack even hangs out with Namjoon. I thought we were all cool now." Taehyung said quietly. Mark gritted his teeth as he gave Jackson a dirty look. The older easily removed the Hongkonger's hand from his arm. Jinyoung sighed in frustration and crossed his arms.

"All the shit that went down at Kirin High was because of Amber Liu and Yoongi. And they even transferred schools! We were just puppets in their hands. I thought you had realized that by now. I'm not your fan either, Tuan. That jerking off video you recorded was messed up, I'll never forget that. The way we ambushed you at school, kidnapped Junior and tried to blackmail you was fucked up too. I admit it. We definitely don't have any love for each other, but you can't keep your friends from socializing with us. After all, we are their friends, not yours." Jungkook explained and picked up his bag from the couch. Taehyung whispered something to Bambam, gave him a peck on the lips, and got ready to follow the other player out of the house.

"That's right, get the fuck out and don't come back here. You're not welcome. None of you from the soccer team Bangtan Sonyeondan is allowed to step foot in this house again." Mark said harshly. Jinyoung wanted to say something, but he refrained to. It was his house too after all. The young Lim imagined that the fact he and Jackson had slept with Taehyung once was the main problem there.

"Wait!" Yugyeom exclaimed. Everybody in the room turned their eyes in his direction. "I'll walk you guys out." The maknae swallowed and led the two guests out of the house. Jaebeom returned to the living room as if he was all that time just waiting for the guests to leave.

"Glad you got rid of them. I didn't have the heart to do so. Their families don't celebrate Christmas and they had nothing better to do tonight. When Bam an Gyeom showed up at the door, I couldn't just send them away." A conflicted Jaebeom confessed as he sat on the couch. "Honestly, I kinda knew there would be trouble once you guys arrived."

"JB, what the fuck!?" Mark eyed him in disbelief as he put his hand on his hips. His very body language oozed aggression. Then he turned to the upset Thai boy whose eyes refrained from meeting his hyung's. "Bam, that Taehyung kid is a slut! What the hell are you doing with him?"

"Oh? Is he? Just because your boyfriend and Jack banged him?" Bambam retorted. "What does that make you then? I mean, you slept with both of them too." The sassy Thai boy said and within a second Mark towered over him. Youngjae got between them quickly.

"Mr. Lim went out for groceries. He went to buy something for the feast. He is really excited about this family reunion thing. Let's not disappoint him. Maybe you should cool down and help me in the kitchen? What do you say?" Youngjae said calmly, putting a hand on his hyung’s shoulder.

"I can't cook." Mark stated coldly, without taking his eyes from the Thai teenager. Jaebeom stood up from the couch, grabbed his arm and dragged him to his old bedroom. Jinyoung wanted to go after them, but he just let his twin handle that situation. If the young Lim took the maknaes' side he knew the older would be even more pissed, but he didn't want to give the kids a hard time either. If he did, the youngsters would claim he was biased and that he was taking Mark's side because he was his boyfriend. He thanked all gods for having JB as their leader. His brother was a fixer, he certainly had an unbiased view of the situation. His twin was levelheaded enough to access those kind of conflicts within the group. He was got7’s leader.

When Yugyeom returned to the living room he saw the tension on his friends' face.

"Bam, come on. We should go too." The maknae announced. Jackson stopped them before the boys could put on their shoes to leave.

"What do you think you're doing? We're Got7, remember? We are family. You're staying. Sit down. We're brothers and if there's a problem, we're gonna figure this out together." The Hongkonger kindly pushed them to the couch.

"I thought you would spend Christmas at your folks' house Yuggie. And I thought Bam would be staying with you tonight." Jinyoung said carefully, doing his best not to sound accusatory. The maknaes sat on the couch and started explaining themselves.

"There's a bunch of people at my house. There are relatives in there which I've never seen before. Family reunions are boring. Bambam said he would stop by at Tae's house and I said I would stop by Kookie's. But Tae was at Kookie's house. So the four of us gathered in there to play games. At some point Jaebeom hyung called to check on me and Bam. I told him we were at a friend's house. Then he asked if we had had dinner. I told him no, and when he invited us over I brought the other two with me. End of story." Yugyeom said impatiently.

"And those two knew you were coming to the Lim's house?" Youngjae asked as he eyed Yugyeom suspiciously. When the soccer players showed up with the pair, Youngjae also didn't know how to react. At least now that they were gone he could understand better what was going on.

"No. They were surprised to see JB but since hyung acted like everything was okay, I thought it wouldn't be a big deal." Yugyeom answered as he started biting his nails. "Is Mark hyung too mad? I know there's a debut coming and we cannot afford to have this kind of conflicts affecting our group. Do you think he'll be okay if we apologize for-"

"Gyeom! I'm not going to apologize for going out with Tae, and you're not going to stay away from Kookie just to please Mark." An irritated Bambam cut his friend off. Jackson eyed him with sympathy. The Hongkonger knew what was going on. He knew about the development of their fling. The Thai boy trusted him enough to tell him how Taehyung and him were getting along well. Bambam usually told him stuff regarding his love life. Jackson was aware that the teenager feared his friends' opinion about that matter. Bambam hid his relationship with Taehyung from the others because he knew the news of his affair with the soccer player would not be well received by the members of Got7. Jackson kept his secret. He didn't fail to notice that it was the first time Bambam seemed to really be into someone.

"Kunpimook Bhuwakul, what the heck is with you today?" Jinyoung demanded, raising his voice a bit.

"You did a bunch of shitty things to Mark, to Jack, to your brother and they still love you. Everybody makes mistakes. Why doesn't Tae deserve a second chance? Since Eric's party he and I clicked. He's not so bad! If your boyfriend cannot see that, it's his problem. Why does it have to be all about Mark and his damn issues all the time? It's not fair!" A desperate Bambam shouted at him. Jinyoung was startled by his outburst. Youngjae gasped. Yugyeom put a consoling hand on his friend's shoulder. Jackson clearly wasn't the only one who knew about his relationship with the soccer player.

"You really like him, don't you?" Youngjae asked softly as he sat beside Bambam on the couch and placed a comforting hand on his knee. The Thai boy nodded. Jackson also offered his support as he crouched in front of him and held his hand.

"Don't worry, he'll get used to it. Mark is hot headed by nature, but I'm sure he'll come around." Jackson said in a soothing voice. Jinyoung frowned across the room.

"Wait, did you know about this and you didn't tell me?!" The young Lim asked, only now realizing that the Hongkonger wasn't too shocked by Bambam's revelation. Jackson sighed in defeat and sat on the floor to properly face his angry boyfriend. There was no use lying to him now.

"Yeah, I’ve known it for a while, but-"

"But what? Jack we don't hide stuff from each other! What the hell? This shit is serious! We both know Taehyung. He's inoffensive, but easy to manipulate. What if someone told him to seduce Bam in order to get revenge for that fucking video Mark recorded? If Min Yoongi put him up to this-"

"Tae loves me! You don't know him. You know nothing about us! Why talk about the past now? You used him too! What makes you think you're better than him?!" Bambam yelled, as his eyed watered. A taken aback Jinyoung opened his mouth to reprimand the younger for using that tone with him. He wanted to say something but nothing came out of his lips. He felt bad for Bambam, he really did. Jinyoung would be a hypocrite if he kept criticizing the soccer player. And deep down he knew Taehyung was a saint compared to the old Junior. He had done worse things before. Why would he claim that Taehyung couldn’t change his ways too?

"What about giving them a chance, Jin? After Yoongi left Kirin High, Namjoon was able to lead the soccer team well. Tae is not that gullible kid everyone manhandled anymore. Everybody deserves a second chance, right?" Jackson raised an eyebrow at him. No one in that room could understand the meaning of a second chance better than Park Lim Jinyoung.

"Very well." He paused as he approached the couch where Bambam was sitting with Youngjae and Yugyeom by his side. Jackson eyed him with expectation as he leaned on the couch where the other three were sitting. He knew that if Jinyoung supported that relationship, he could convince the American to do the same. The young Lim inhaled and continued. "If JB fails to persuade him to accept the fact that you're also into bad boys, I'll talk to him. Jack and I will. After all, two boyfriends are more convincing than one."

"WHAT?!" The three on the couch exclaimed at the same time. Coincidentally, that was the same question JB was asking Mark in the bedroom. It took a minute for the American to calm down, and when he did, the news of the throuple relationship with Jackson and Jinyoung ended up slipping from his mouth.

"I know what you're gonna say. The first time we tried was a mess. Now that we're debuting it's not a good idea to jump into-"

"Hey, it's fine. We are fine. Got7 will be fine." Jaebeom said in a soothing voice after the initial shock dissipated. "I know Jackson still loves you, everyone knows. He's been low-key pining for you since the break up. Jin told me about the bracelet he found in your drawer some time ago. I was afraid he would freak out but he kept his shit together. He wasn't mad, he just didn't appreciate the fact that you hid your feelings for Jack from him. I think the solution was pretty clear to me. My brother will always love Jackson. You haven't forgotten Jackson. Jackson loves both of you to death. You and Jin love each other. You three should just go ahead and be together. That's what I said to Jin. I'm just surprised that he took my advice. I guess the drama is over." Jaebeom said with a smile.

"You told him all that?" Mark was agape.

"You can thank me later. But only after you go downstairs and apologize to Bam." JB told him quickly.

"I'm only looking out for him! That kid is no good-"

"You sound like Dorine Tuan." JB interrupted his speech and raised an eyebrow at him. Mark looked offended. So the younger continued, "I'm sure she warned you about your evil stepbrother Junior like the way you just criticized Kim Taehyung now. Bam is not naive. He knows what he's doing, and if for some reason he needs our advice for something, we'll be there for him like good hyungs. Think about it, if Markjin and Jinson worked things out, and turned into Markjinson, everything is possible! Look at the three of you now! Who would imagine that my psychotic twin, whose jealousy was pretty much pathological would be able to seriously date two people at the same time?" JB shrugged. Mark relented. His mind felt lighter. Whenever he talked to Jaebeom he ended up like that. His stepbrother always acted and sounded more sensible than him. Jaebeom was definitely more a hyung to him than a dongsaeng. He was a natural born leader.

"You know what? Maybe I should invite you and Youngjae to join our relationship. We could make use of your reliability now and then." Mark joked and winked at the younger.

"That's gross. Why would I even join my own fucking brother...Shit, Bunny. You are sick, you know? I finally see that Jin and you have something in common. You definitely deserve each other." A disgusted Jaebeom shook his head, while the older simply laughed his ass off. Then Jaebeom started laughing too. Then Mark turned serious again and bit his lower lip.

"I guess I have a lot of apologizing to do. I guess I wanted Kim Taehyung out of this house because I'm actually ashamed of what I did to him. I mean, I beat him up. I made him masturbate a classmate in front of a camera to keep his friends from blackmailing me. Once I even shoved his face inside a toilet and flushed it. If it wasn't for Ricky who showed up at the occasion, I would've probably killed him inside the school bathroom." A remorseful Mark took a deep breath and continued. "I was out of my mind when I found out the soccer team was involved with your so-called 'suicidal attempt'. I wanted to tear him apart, limb by limb when I found out about his one night stand with Jackson and Jinyoung. I'm not proud of what I did, you know? I know it wasn't right." Mark confessed, as he glued his eyes to the floor.

"Well, you have all the time in the world to make amends." A supporting JB placed both his hands on the older's shoulder and pulled him to a hug. They only noticed Jinyoung at the door when the young Lim cleared his throat.

"If you guys are done, Dad is calling us for dinner." The ‘evil’ twin informed them with a smirk. He just had to look at their faces to realize the drama was over. The pair disentangled their limbs from each other and followed him downstairs.

Jinyoung acted like a mom when he brought Mark and Bambam to the corner of the living room and told them to bury the hatchet. After some words exchanged, the Thai boy gladly shook hands with the American and they hugged. Peace prevailed at last.

The principal was delighted to see his sons and their friends eating at the table with him. He loved to have a full house during holidays. When he heard from his youngest about a certain throuple arrangement he just laughed it off. He understood what Jinyoung meant, but he would rather not discuss his kids' love affairs. He missed Jiyeong at those moments. His late ex-wife would never shy away from those disconcerting topics. He wondered what Dorine would say about that relationship, he wondered if Mark had already informed her. But Taek-geun wasn't worried about that now. A lot had changed since their families crossed paths. It was Christmas and they only had reasons to celebrate that holiday.

Suddenly a knock on the door interrupted them. The principal told the boys to keep eating and went to the front door. The boys heard the door open and close with a bang. When the principal returned the table his features were a bit disconcerted.

"Who was that?" Jaebeom asked, noticing his father's temporary disturbance. The principal eyed the twins and sighed.

"The guest at the door is for you both. Whether he should come in or not is your choice. Just don't take too long. The food will get cold." Taek-geun said, still a bit unsettled. Jaebeom and Jinyoung gave their father a questioning look, but left the table to check who was at the door. As soon as they opened it, their grandfather was there. He still had a cast on his arm due to the assault he suffered a while ago and he had an envelope in his hand. Somehow, his saddened eyes gave him a pitiful look. But he still was the man who ended the marriage of their parents, who planned to force Jinyoung into a marriage of convenience, who terrorized the twins and his friends in order to bind them to the company, and who made Taek-geun give up his rights as their father.

"What do you want, old man?" Jaebeom asked coldly. Now he understood why his father looked so displeased. He himself felt his mood get a bit sour when he heard the man’s voice.

"It's Christmas. Your mom's favourite holiday, remember? It makes me miss her even more." He commented. "This period of the year makes one crave for the warmth of a family. It gets lonely when it's only you and your regrets sitting at a table."

"Do you expect us to invite you in?" Jinyoung asked. His tone was collected, there was no hatred in his eyes.

"You boys are still the only connection I have with my daughter. I just wanted to see you, the two of you. And wish you both a very happy Christmas." His eyes travelled from one boy to the other.

"Well, merry fucking Christmas to you too, grandpa. Is that all? Sorry we forgot to buy you a Christmas card. Maybe next year." Jaebeom said sharply. He was ready to shut the door on his face, but Jinyoung didn't let him. JB wondered why his brother was so serene. Not long ago he had burned down the old man's mansion and complimented the guy who beat the shit out of him. 

"Yeah. Who knows? Try knocking on this door next year and we may be ready to let you in." Jinyoung said. JB snorted. He had no intention of inviting JYP for any family reunion in the next hundred years. He genuinely thought his twin was making a joke.

"I'll be looking forward to next year then." He nodded and took a deep breath. "Well, I thought of bringing a gift, but you guys have pretty much everything, so I wondered what your mom would like me to give you. There was nothing more important to her than her own family, and she built a home for you two here, by Lim Taek-Geun’s side... So, I brought these papers.” He handed the envelope in his hand to Jaebeom and continued. “Give them to your Dad. I'm transferring his sons’ physical and legal custody back to him. I couldn’t keep you boys away from him even if I wanted.” He added in a tone of disappointment.

“Are you serious?” A wide-eyed JB asked.

“Of course. He can do all the procedure without a lawyer, but he'll need to present this agreement to the local court for a judge's approval." JYP said as he put a hand in his pocket. It seemed he expected some sort of positive response from them. The shock on the Jaebeom's face was obvious. Seeing his twin's lack of words, Jinyoung spoke for him.

"We work for JYP Entertainment. You already own our souls. These papers don't-"

"If you would like to end your contracts as trainees, I won't difficult things for you. The same goes for your friends." JYP declared solemnly, and for some unknown reason he didn't seem to be bluffing this time.

"We are debuting in January. Got7 is not giving up now. This is our dream job. We don't intend to leave the company." Jinyoung pointed out. The man smiled widely as he noticed that JB seemed to agree with his brother’s words.

"I didn’t expect less from you.” JYP looked extremely pleased. “Well, if there's anything you boys need, just let me know. See you two at the company. And good luck with your debut. I’ll be looking forward to it. Take care you two.” He declared as he gazed at them for a long minute and wished them good night. The twins silently watched as he retreated from their porch and got into his car. Jinyoung then closed the door when the car disappeared from their driveway.

“Do you think these papers are for real?” JB asked his brother with a pensive look on his face.

“Whenever he talks about mom I know he’s being serious.” Jinyoung replied quietly as he leaned on the wall of their entryway.

“Maybe he’s just pulling a Christmas prank.” Jaebeom eyed him knowingly and folded his arms across his chest.

“Oh, so Mark told you about our uneventful evening.” Jinyoung smiled a bit and scratched the nape of his neck.

“You’re happy.” A quite observant Jaebeom stated and gave him a harmless punch on his arm.

“They make me happy. Our family makes me happy. Got7 makes me happy.” Jinyoung confessed, a bit embarrassed to say those cringey things to his brother. JB made a face, but he was pleased to see his twin so contented.

“Let’s go back to the table before your boyfriends start missing you.” He said teasingly, as he wrapped an arm around Jinyoung’s neck and they returned to the dining room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The happy ending is developing by itself.


	63. Got it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality."
> 
> ~ Unable Are The Loved To Die~  
> by Emily Dickinson
> 
> "Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time... It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other. " ~Leo Buscaglia

The dinner at the Lims’ residence was resumed when the twins rejoined their family at the table. Taek-Geun was flabbergasted when he examined the papers inside the envelope JYP left for him. He was relieved to see that his former father-in-law at least could do a decent thing once a year. However, he wasn’t impressed by the old man’s ‘Christmas good deed’. In his point of view, JYP should’ve never taken his kids from him in the first place, so he wouldn’t compliment him for giving them back.

Mark noticed Jackson typing fastly on his phone. He figured the Hongkonger was chatting with his folks, but he wasn't sure of that. It didn't take long for the doorbell of the Lims' residence disrupt the joyful Christmas dinner one more time. Taek-geun was about to get up from the table when his son prevented him from doing so.

"Mark, it's your turn." Jinyoung said quickly, as he turned to his boyfriend.

"Why me?" The American gave him a quizzical look.

"Come on, sweetheart. It might be Santa Claus bearing gifts. Go ahead." Jackson grinned. The older frowned at him.

"Maybe Santa has another lover wrapped up for you." Bambam jested with a silly smile on his face.

"Well, if it's a girl, introduce her to me, hyung. You won't need a new fling since you already have two boyfriends." Yugyeom remarked wittily, high-fiving his amused best friend who sat beside him. Mark rolled his eyes at them and quickly addressed his two boyfriends.

"Seriously, if this is another prank, I swear to God-"

"Relax, no guest could be worse than JYP, and now that he’s gone nothing can ruin this moment we’re having here." Jaebeom joked, as he munched a turkey wing.

"I can get the door if Mark hyung doesn't want to." Youngjae announced innocently after taking a sip of his soda. But Mark simply dismissed his offer and went to the door. He was puzzled when he opened it and a woman in her early 30's started speaking to him in fluent English. Her Californian accent quickly sounded too familiar to him.

"Hi, you are him! You're Mark Tuan, right? You indeed look exactly like him. I mean, just like the pictures your mom showed me." She said enthusiastically, as she smiled at the teenager. Mark was extremely confused now.

"I'm sorry, do I know you? Do you know my mother?" He was intrigued. Her features vaguely reminded him of someone.

"Oh, sorry! I was so anxious to meet you that I didn't even introduced myself. I'm Tammy Chung, your half-sister. Nice to meet you, Little Rooster." The woman said as she extended her hand to him. The gesture was so Western-like that he had forgotten how to react to that.

"Is that a joke?" Mark narrowed his eyes at the woman. Then he looked her up and down. His first instinct was to call her out. He felt more than tempted to send her away. That could be a joke, but he wasn't sure if his boyfriends would dare to go that far just to prank him. They would even tell a stranger his old nickname? He didn't know what to believe. The woman looked a bit nervous now as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Oh, my Gosh! They didn't tell you? You know Wang, and Park, right? They knew I was coming, I mean, the Chinese guy who goes to the same school as you, and Park, your stepbrother. Well, he used to be your stepbrother, before your mom divorced his dad. But you two are still good friends, correct?" She talked nonstop, struggling to explain to the teenager how she ended up at that front door. "Listen, I learned about Raymond not long ago. My mother never told me who was my real father till last month. She told he had already died, but she told me I had a brother. I found out the Tuans' address through an old letter our father sent to my mom. So I stopped by your house and met Dorine-"

"Wait! What? Did my mother give you this address so you could come all the away from America just to meet me?" Mark couldn't believe his own ears.

"Mark, it's cold out here. Will you let me in? Is the Wang guy with you? He was the one who texted me this address, and I thought you knew I would stop by. Dorine didn't want me to. She told me you might not react well to the fact that I'm the product of her late husband's affair, but I still-"

"Come again? Who the hell are you? Are you sure this isn’t a mistake?" Mark asked one more time. That certainly wasn’t a mistake, but the teenager was unable to register everything she said. He wondered if being away from the U.S for too long hindered his listening skills. He understood her words, but he was unable to fully interpret them. It was hard for him to conceive the fact that he still had a sibling. Yet, somehow her eyes reminded him of Joey's, her eyes had the same color of Raymond's. Her eyes resembled his own. For the second time that day he felt like he was locked in a dream, but he really wished he didn’t have to wake up from this one.

"I'm your sister, Tammy." She repeated and sighed with worry. "Do you want me to leave? I didn't mean to bother you at this hour. I will understand if you don't wanna talk to me. I just thought that Christmas would be a good opportunity to get together with family, and stuff." She sounded a bit disappointed now as she looked away.

"I have a sister?!" Mark emphasized the last word. He seemed to have finally internalized the news. Death had taken Joey once, indiscriminately, without a warning. Now life presented him with another sibling, unexpectedly, kindly. He never believed in miracles, but now he did.

"Not for long if you're going to let her freeze out here, so..." 

Mark quickly pulled the woman inside and gave her an unexpected hug. She was startled at first, but she hugged him back. He dragged her to the dining room and introduced Tammy to everyone. By the time the American brought his sister in, Jackson and Jinyoung had already told the others that they had arranged that little reunion. Taek-geun gave her a seat at the table and Mark handed her a plate. He had to translate the whole dialogue between them, but his Hongkonger boyfriend helped him with the task. Jackson was the only one apart from him who could speak English. Learning the language was one of the perks of having studied at Hong Kong International School when he was little. Tammy complimented Jackson's English and revealed to her brother that although Dorine didn't want her to come, his mother gave her the phone number of the Lims. The former counselor of Kirin High could've provided Tammy Mark's cell phone number, but she had no intention of making things easier for her. Dorine was still Dorine after all. Tammy called the Lims' landline phone a couple of times, but since Taek-geun was mostly at Kirin High, no one answered her call. Things changed when the holiday approached. Jackson and Jinyoung stopped by the house to pick up some cap JB had left in his old room. When the phone rang, Jinyoung answered it. Unable to communicate in English with the person on the line, he handed the phone to the Hongkonger. At that moment, a plan to reunite the two siblings was architected.

"Geez, you guys are full of surprises aren't you?" Mark beamed, as his eyes travelled from one boyfriend to the other. "At least, this surprise was pleasant." He added, dying to shower them with kisses at that very moment, but he avoided the PDA since his sister was there. He decided it would be better to tell her about his polyamory relationship on another occasion. He knew they would have enough time to get to know each other better in the future. Got7 and his stepfather automatically liked her. Mark couldn't help but notice that. He himself wished she could stay in there forever. However, after eating some Christmas cake and chatting lively with everyone in the living room, Tammy announced she had to go.

"I'm supposed to meet my husband and the children at Lotteworld amusement park. They have special Christmas themed events there. Kids love these kind of things." Tammy told them with a smile. Jackson translated what she said to the others. Mark's eyes grew large.

"You have kids? That means I have nephews?" He was stunned.

"You're the uncle of three beautiful girls, to be more precise." She smiled proudly.

"Why didn't you bring them here?" The teenager asked a bit disappointed.

"Well, it's our first meeting and I didn't know if I was going to be welcomed in my little brother's life. I had to do this on my own. But I promise to bring them next time." She explained, and the teenager nodded at her. After bidding farewell to the others and thanking Taek-geun for his hospitality, Tammy took some selfies together with the boys and they finally let her go. Mark politely accompanied her to the door.

"So, did you enjoy having dinner with my Korean family?" Mark asked as they reached the entryway.

"They're cool. Actually, I didn't expect to see so much festivity. I heard that Christmas in Korea is not a big family holiday. They have Chuseok for that. Today is more like a couple orientated holiday, similar to Valentine's day, right? I made my own research before coming here. I was even more surprised to see turkey and eggnog at the table. It's not easy to find this kind of food here. I think your Korean family did their best to bring the traditional Western Christmas meal to their dinner table. And it's obvious they did it all for you. That's quite nice. I mean, I couldn't understand a word they said, except for Jackson's, but they seem to like you a lot." She said, observing how his eyes grew large. Tammy wondered if her brother was aware of the huge cultural differences between the end of year holidays in America and South Korea. She also wondered if he realized how much he was obviously loved by the people in that house.

"They are more sympathetic than Dorine. I bet you could tell." Mark commented a bit disheartened. "I called her last week and asked her if she would join us today. She told me she had booked a flight and everything. Turns out she caught a cold and couldn't make it." 

"Well, I'm sure she would be here if she could. The fact that she worried about how my visit could affect you tells a lot about her. She cares for you, little brother." Tammy consoled him and offered him another hug. He gladly wrapped his arms around her and thanked his sister for coming. He wanted to say more, tell her how her existence made a huge difference in his life, and how their brother Joey would have loved to know that they had a sister. There was so much he wished to share with her, to know about her, but he wouldn't keep his sister from going back to her own family. He knew he couldn’t monopolize her that night. Maybe some other day.

"My family and I are going to stay in Seoul for a couple of days before going back to the U.S., maybe we can arrange something, yeah?" She suggested excitedly.

"You'd better." He whispered back. After they broke apart from the hug and exchanged numbers, she was gone. He stayed at the door till she got into a cab and it drove away from the Lims' residence. He was about to close the door when he saw a familiar Maserati parked at the driveway. He sighed and walked out of the house. He knew why he was there, he had texted him earlier. As he approached the vehicle he could see that Eric was there, sitting quietly, with a faraway look on his face. It didn't take long for Mark to open the door and sit on the passenger seat.

"Are you going to stay out here the whole night? You could've knocked on the door like a normal person, you know." The teenager said, tentatively.

"When you sent me a text saying that Jackson and you needed to talk to me, I immediately knew what it meant." Eric said calmly as he eyed the bracelet on Mark's wrist. "Since I was sure that the Lim boy would never, ever break up with you, I figured that the throuple arrangement was resurrected. I knew that something was up this morning. That double date was Jinyoung's way of informing me he had won. I am too naïve to realize that only now."

"Eric, getting Jackson and I back together wasn’t something Jinyoung planned. It just happened accidentally. My boyfriend had no intention of antagonizing you during that double date, and you know it." Mark protested.

"Well, he's dating all my exes now. He has Jack and you wrapped around his little finger." The idol chuckled without much energy.

"Look, this is not only about Jinyoung. It's about Jack and I, and what we want." Mark declared firmly.

"Right." The older muttered. "And you both deserve to be happy with whoever you want."

"You really mean that?" Mark eyed him anxiously.

"I do. Actually, Jackson never hid from me how he feels about you. We kinda had that in common. Our undying love for Mark Tuan Yi-en. I even told him that if he had a chance to go back to you, he shouldn't worry about me. I guess it finally happened. I'm happy for him, and I'm happy for you. I can't really be mad at Jinyoung. I guess I'm just a bit envy of him because he has both of you." Eric confessed as he gazed at Mark intensely. The teenager didn’t know how to respond to that.

"Why don't you come inside and have some cake?" Mark asked a bit disconcerted, trying to filter the intensity of his stare.

"Nah. I'm on my way to the airport. I'm spending New Year's Eve in America. I miss home. I plan to surprise my parents, try some sort of reconciliation, you know? After seeing how you and Dorine started getting along even though she's so far away, I thought of reconnecting with my folks. They might not be so mad when they see that I did well back here." Eric said with a tinge of hope in his voice.

"You guys deserve a second chance. Your parents probably miss you to death. I'm sure they will love to see you. Tell your mom I miss her homemade food." Mark said with a smile. Eric nodded and took something out of his pocket. He handed Mark the old picture he had taken of Joey and Eric together sitting on a bench of Pershing square in LA.

"Keep this for me, okay?" Till I come back." Eric requested.

"Why, Ricky?" Mark eyed him curiously.

"Memento vivere, Little Rooster. I'll be less worried about you knowing that you have this in your possession." The idol paused and continued after taking a deep breath. "It's about time I let go of the past too." 

"We're still going to be friends, right?" Mark bit his lower lip, wondering if the idol intended to cut ties with him.

"That shall be one of my New Year's resolution." Eric smiled at him and he smiled back.

"I met Tammy Chung tonight, she’s my half-sister." Mark said abruptly. The idol was astonished.

"Was she that woman I saw leaving the house?" Eric asked, still shocked.

"Yeah. She's the daughter my dad had with another woman." Mark said quietly.

"How do you feel about that?" Eric studied his features, looking for some sort of disturbance in them. He found none.

"Cool. I mean, she's not to blame for what Dad did to my mom, or hers. I like her. I want to know her better, and meet my nieces. We'll keep in contact for sure." He replied with a gleam of optimism in his eyes.

"Good. Joey knew about her, but he never dared to look for her." Eric said casually. Mark was agape.

"I can't believe this shit. Why you never told me this?" A wide-eyed Mark accused him.

"Joey told me not to. He was afraid you would freak out. Do you think you would have reacted this well back then?" Eric gave him a challenging look. Mark relented and sighed.

"Fuck! Sometimes I think he knew me better than I did myself." Mark complained, shaking his head. His tone was softer after a pause. "Are you sure you don't wanna come in and say goodbye to Jack? I’m sure that if Youngjae saw you he would activate his fanboy mode."

"I'll talk to Jack when I come back. I’ll see my fanboy too. After all, I have to be here to see Got7’s debut." The idol assured him. The teenager beamed.

"Merry Christmas, Ricky." Mark said at last as he opened the door of the Maserati.

"Merry Christmas, Little Rooster." Eric whispered as he pulled Mark to him. For a split second, he thought of going for his lips, but he chose to kiss his forehead. Mark kissed both his cheeks and retreated.

"Drive safe and have a good trip." Mark said before he got out of the car.

"I'll call you on New Year's Eve." Eric called out.

"If you don't, I will do it myself." Mark said as he waved him good-bye. The idol waved back and drove away. When Mark turned around and walked back to the house, his boyfriends were standing on the porch waiting for him.

"How did he take it? Is he gonna be okay?" Jackson asked. Mark knew he was talking about Eric. During that party at the idol's house several months ago, they learned that Eric had attempted suicide once. The Hongkonger didn't know exactly what the American had just discussed with him in the car, but he was sure Mark had told him about their relationship. He was aware that Eric wouldn't blame him for the break up, but he knew the idol still loved Mark. The throuple was reunited again and somehow, he worried about its repercussions in Eric's life. 

"I'm sure he will be just fine. He's stronger now." The American replied as he put the old photo inside the pocket of his jeans and took a deep breath. He himself felt stronger now.

"Shall we go back inside?" Jinyoung suggested, as he pulled Jackson and Mark to him, and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. He gave each one of them a peck on the lips and smirked. "How do you guys like the Lims' Christmas celebration so far, darlings?"

"It can’t get any better than this.” Jackson said animatedly. “What about you, Markiepoo?”

“Same here.”

When the celebration was over, Got7 didn't go back to the dorm. Taek-geun insisted that they should stay the night. The principal's residence wasn't a mansion, but they boys could easily accommodate themselves in different parts of the house and get some sleep. Bambam and Yugyeom took the couch. The throuple stayed in Jinyoung's room and Youngjae in stayed with JB.

Got7 waited till the principal went to sleep to start their own party. JB had some beer hidden in the trunk of his car. He intended to bring it to the dorm and play some drinking games with the members after the dinner at his Dad's, but since everyone was too tired and agreed to stay at the Lim's residence, they had to finish all that alcohol right there. The leader secretly called his members to Taek-geun's office and they played drinking games there till some of them were already passed out on the floor. Jackson and Bambam were super hyper at the beginning of the games, yet, they were the first to fall asleep on each other, completely wasted. Yugyeom went to the bathroom and never returned. He just threw himself on the living room couch and wasn't able to get up again. Alcohol and Youngjae was an interesting mix. The more he drank the hornier he would get. A drunk Jaebeom claimed he was not drunk, but he dragged Youngjae to his room before his boyfriend successfully removed both of their shirts and started a full make out session in front of the others. Mark avoided drinking much, since he didn't plan on getting totally plastered in his stepfather's house. But his face had already turned all red and flushed when he leaned on the other two unconscious teenagers on the floor. He was about to close his eyes too when Jinyoung approached him.

"Wanna go on an adventure?" He suggested excitedly.

"What the fuck, it's 3 AM." The American huffed.

"That means you don't want to?" Jinyoung cocked his head to the side and pouted.

"We're drunk, Nyoungie. That's what I mean." Mark reminded him and giggled.

"No, I'm not. Most of the time I pretended to drink. They were too distracted with the game to notice. It usually takes one glass, and the night is over for me." The younger confessed with a grin.

"You're a hell of an actor." Mark gave him a brief unimpressed look.

"And you look hot as fuck all flushed like this." The Korean said and the other just rolled his eyes at him.

"Where do you wanna go?" The tired American inquired before yawning.

"Surprise." The young Lim winked.

"Should we wake up Jack?" Mark eyed their Hongkonger boyfriend lying on the floor entangled with Bambam.

"Nah, Bam will keep him company. Besides, whenever he's plastered like this, he can't even walk properly. It’s safer to leave him here, trust me." Jinyoung informed him quickly.

"Shouldn't we at least tell someone we're going out?" Mark still sounded a bit uncertain as he ran a hand through his hair.

"No. We'll be back before they notice." Jinyoung assured him and captured his lips hungrily. He quickly deepened the kiss, making the other moan. After some seconds of tonguing, the older was fully awake and willing.

"Okay, then." Mark whispered but he didn't move from his position. Jinyoung brought a blanket from his room and covered the two foreigners on the floor. Then he helped his boyfriend up and put a coat on him. He checked on Yugyeom on the couch and smiled like a loving mom as he watched the giant baby snoring in the living room. He didn't dare to stop by JB's room. He knew Youngjae would look after his brother 'with pleasure.'

Jinyoung grabbed his car keys, dragged Mark to the kitchen and gave him a Coke.

"I'm not thirsty." The American raised an eyebrow at him.

"You need some sugar in your body, and the caffeine will also give you an energy boost. I can't have you sleeping in the car during our adventure." Jinyoung insisted and brought the bottle next to the lover's lips. Mark automatically took a sip. The young Lim smiled with satisfaction and dragged him to the front door, putting on his shoes in a hurry. He also helped Mark put his on.

"It's cold out there. Are you sure this is a good idea?" The older complained like a stubborn kid after taking another sip of his Coke. Jinyoung shut him up with a brief kiss and opened the door. The winter breeze welcomed them outside. 

Jinyoung drove for 30 minutes till they arrived to their destiny. As soon as they stepped out of the car, Mark was agape.

"Is this a cemetery? You brought me to a cemetery to celebrate Christmas? I thought the date was all about birth and not death." Mark furrowed his brows as he let the empty bottle of Coke fall on the floor of the car.

"Are you afraid of ghosts, babe?" Jinyoung smirked as he approached the entrance of the cemetery and used the flashlight of his cellphone to light up their path.

"Jinyoung, it's not even opened at this hour!" Mark whispered exasperated, as if he tried not to wake the dead.

"We can jump the over the gate. Come on, don't be such a wuss." Jinyoung teased, as he started climbing the tall gate which separated them from the resting place of the deceased.

"What did you call me?!" Mark gritted his teeth and started climbing the gate furiously. Within a second he was inside the cemetery. His boyfriend soon caught up to him and quickly appeased the American.

"Of course you're not a wuss, babe. I was just teasing you. Mark Tuan is a brave rooster. I'm sure that if there's any evil spirit here, you can fight it. Did you know that roosters are considered good omens in Korea?" Jinyoung cooed as he pinched his cheeks.

"Well, did you know that according to the Chinese zodiac a rooster should not get involved romantically with someone born in the Year of the Dog because they're not compatible? It turns out both you and Jackson were born in 1994. Wang Gae and Park Gae are dogs. You know what that means, right? If roosters and dogs can't live in peace together, this poly triad thing is going to be a challenge." Mark said cheekily. Jinyoung was wide-eyed.

"You're joking, right?" The Korean looked extremely worried now.

"Do you believe in astrology, my love?" Mark brought a hand to the nape of his neck and massaged him there.

"Do you?" The younger stared at him intensely.

"In my opinion, it's a lot of crap." Mark chuckled as he pulled him into a hug. His eyes swiftly examined how the cemetery was beautifully shaded with cypress and other evergreens. He immediately recognized the place. He had been there. It was too dark outside and he couldn’t tell which cemetery was that at first, but now he understood why Jinyoung decided to stop there.

"Good." Jinyoung sighed in relief and continued. "Do you know why we're here?"

“Yeah, your mom is buried here.” Mark said quietly as they started walking through tombstones.

“She was not religious, but she loved Christmas. All the light festivals and decorations…I didn’t even show up at her funeral, but I thought I should stop by today. You’re not weirded out, are you?” Jinyoung knew he wasn’t. He just wanted a confirmation.

“Not at all. Back in LA I was pretty much a ‘grave enthusiast’. After Joey and father passed away, I often found comfort walking through the cemetery they were buried. It was like I could be closer to them somehow. In a sense, I was honoring them simply by being there and reading their names, torturing myself. As long as I did that, I could never erase from my memory that they were dead because of me. I felt that it was fair to feel guilty, and to think that I should be the one laid under the earth instead of them.” Mark said softly.

“Do you still think like that?” A slightly worried Jinyoung studied his pensive features.

“Well, I haven’t been in LA for almost a year. A lot has changed. Dorine kinda absolved me, and I feel different about their deaths now. I feel different about myself. Being in this cemetery with you at this moment, it’s more like a logical reminder that the people buried here once lived and walked the same earth you and I walk now. They had loved ones, they had bonds, just like you and I. I can’t help but think that someday we’ll no longer be here too, and that’s why we must make the best of what we have now.” Mark said solemnly, as he held his lover’s hand. Their scars on their palms immediately kissed each other. Jinyoung pondered his words carefully and made his own conclusion regarding the subject.

“Physical death is undoubtedly imminent. But I guess that if you don’t stop to think of someone you loved after they leave you, if you allow their memory to take root inside of you, they are not truly gone. I believe that even in death love goes on, you know? We’re going to die someday, that’s certain. I can’t even conceive the fact that one of us will have to mourn the other eventually. I can only hope it doesn’t happen anytime soon. But one thing I can assure you, our bodies might be gone, Mark, but what we have will not die.” Jinyoung declared as he tightened the hold on his hand. They were already standing before Jiyeong Park’s grave.

“Of course it won’t. After all, we are wed.” Mark declared and rested his head on Jinyoung’s shoulder. He bathed in the quietness of the place and comforting presence of his lover. “Do you think she can see us now?”

“I’m sure she can, and I bet she’s happy for us. Remember she even gave me a sign indicating that you were the one?” Jinyoung quickly reminded him of the episode at _Why Not?_.

“Well, it turns out she meant both me and Jackson.” Mark corrected him.

“And you’re okay with that, right?” the younger asked curiously.

“I am more than okay.” The American smiled. “Only Jack is able to put up with you sometimes. At least I’m gonna have some help.”

“Hey!” Jinyoung protested as he slightly pushed him away, but a giggling Mark soon clung to his boyfriend again. “You’re making me look bad in front of my Mom’s grave. What kind of boyfriend does that?” The younger complained, feigning offense.

“Hold me. It's freezing, Jinyoungie." Mark whispered against his ear, as he pulled their bodies even closer. It was indeed getting chillier and Jinyoung didn't want his trembling boyfriend to catch a cold. He took off his own scarf and wrapped it around his lover's neck. Mark protested, knowing the younger was exposing himself to the cold breeze just to keep him warmer. Jinyoung made him wear the scarf anyways.

"I'm just gonna say a few words to her, then we can go, okay?" The younger said, and Mark simply nodded at him.

"Should I stay or wait for you in the car?" Mark asked, unsure if the other wanted him to listen what he had to say to his mother.

"Please, stay." Jinyoung muttered, as he sat on the soft grass and gestured the older to sit beside him. A shivering Mark quickly obliged and clung to his arm again. They both stared at Jiyeong's epitaph for a while. There was a verse of Jiyeong's favorite author on her gravestone. 

_~I break and break apart the darkness I have entered. This is how I can leave here and return to the place I had left. ~_

"Is this from Kim Hyesoon? The same author we read at Kirin High's library once?" Mark asked curiously. The younger nodded.

"You remember." Jinyoung smiled at him.

"How could I ever forget? You cried like a baby after I read one of her poems to you. It was the first time I actually pitied Park Jinyoung Jr.." Mark clarified with a grin. The younger snorted and wrapped a hand around his waist. After taking a deep breath, Jinyoung started talking to Park Jiyeong. 

"Mother, I'm sorry for not stopping by earlier. I wasn't ready before, and I didn't think I would be anytime soon. But here I am, and today I miss you the most. The weather has been icy-cold, as it's supposed to be at this time of the year. But now it feels even more wintry. Especially because you weren't here to decorate the Lims' Christmas three with me. I remember how excited you would get..." Jinyoung' voice trailed off. Mark put a consoling hand on his shoulder. The Korean's eyes watered, but he continued. "I came here to introduce you to one of the greatest loves of my life, Mark Tuan. Jack introduced him to you as Kevin once, but I bet you know by now who he really is, and how much he means to me. Well, you already know Jack, and I know how much you liked him, that's why I left him passed out on the floor of Dad's office. I can bring him some other time to say hi. You and I know he was the one who kept me from sinking deeper into despair, whenever your condition worsened. Sometimes when I thought I would drown in my own sorrow, he would always let me sink into his strength. I'll never stop loving that guy. But this person I brought here today is unlike Jack. He’s unlike most of the people I know. He's something else. He has a different kind of strength in him. Mark knows loss and he has a realistic view regarding death. I’ve heard he’s fond of the Latin term Memento mori. Some might think it's a bit morbid to reflect on the fact they're dying daily, and that no matter how much alive they feel in a second, in the next they might die. But I don't think it's a bad thing, it just makes one find clarities in their priorities, and celebrate those around them while they can. It warns us to postpone nothing. Death is constantly around the corner and there's nowhere to hide from it. Your departure was a proof, mom...Your death is a symbol of my own mortality, you're my memento mori..." Jinyoung continued, trying to hold back his sobs. Mark tightened his hold around him. "I lost you, but he's with me now. I will appreciate him, I'll treasure every second of my life with him. And just like you advised me it to do it, I will not run away from my feelings anymore, I'll embrace them. He's shown me that I should not be afraid to feel beyond my own capabilities. I love him more than my own life. You knew it was possible, you had foreseen this. I do not fear death, because I have him. We are wed for eternity. And I can only beg you to guide us on the other side, once our time comes. You once gave us your blessing here on earth, please give us your blessing when we meet you on the other side-"

"Jin...Stop talking like that. Just stop it." The American cut him off abruptly and glared at him. "You know what? You stay here all the time you want. I'll be in the car." Mark muttered, as he disentangled himself from Jinyoung, stood up and walked back to the cemetery gate. A startled Jinyoung called out to him, but Mark didn't wait for him. The Korean quickly said his goodbyes to his mom and ran after his boyfriend. The latter had already jumped over the gate and waited for him in the car. 

"This was a bad idea, right? I'm sorry, babe." An apologetic Jinyoung said as soon as he got into the car. Mark was about to bark at the younger when he turned to him. But the look on his face stopped the older from shouting at him. The Korean's eyes were puffy from crying, and his teeth chewed on his lips. Jinyoung clearly regretted making the American so upset, but he didn't know why the American had reacted that way.

"What exactly are you sorry for, Jinyoung?" Mark demanded coldly.

"For making you mad." Jinyoung said tentatively. The other’s expression softened.

"I'm not mad. Maybe a bit overwhelmed, that’s all. Sorry for leaving you behind. I just...Forget about it. Let's just go home." Mark talked fast and exhaled.

"Tell me." The younger insisted. "We don't hide stuff from each other, remember?"

"I've never been so fucking happy in my life. I've never had so much to lose like I do now. And I don't wanna think that everything is going to be taken away from me someday, in the blink of an eye. You’ve just said you're not scared of death because you have me. Well, guess what!? I'm scared of death because now I have you.” He ran a hand through his hair and fought back his tears. “Jinyoung, I've just met a sister I thought I never had. I have a loving father, a nice stepbrother, amazing friends, a less shitty mother, and you, and Jack! What am I gonna do when any of you leave me? I remember how it was like when Raymond and Joey were gone. It broke me. I still feel broken somehow! And if you, especially you, abandon me at this point, I'll crumble, I'll turn to dust, because I honestly don't know how I'll be able to-"

"Hey! Hey, baby, it's okay. Don't cry. I'm here." Jinyoung said in a soothing voice, as he pulled a sobbing Mark to his chest. "Listen to my heart. Do you hear that? I won't make you empty promises. It won't beat forever. But it's beating now, only for you. Let's just focus on this moment right here and let the future worry about the future. Let's take on day at a time. Let's make our seconds, minutes and hours feel like forever, because forever is now." He whispered sweetly as he kissed the top of his head.

"I love you so much, it hurts." Mark whispered against his chest as he wiped the tears from his eyes. Jinyoung lifted his face to his and kissed his lips. Mark immediately responded to the kiss bringing a hand to his boyfriend's face. The Korean slowly broke the kiss and caressed his lover's cheek.

"But it's a nice kind of hurt, right?" The younger asked, as his magnetic eyes bore into him.

"The best." Mark smiled brightly at him. It made Jinyoung's heart melt.

"I love you more." He stated and gave the older another peck. 

"Are you ready for another adventure?" The Korean asked excitedly.

"I'll go wherever you want me to go." Mark said as he fastened his seatbelt.

They finally left the cemetery and Jinyoung drove around the city a bit more, showing Mark the shiny lights that brightened the streets of Seoul. Mark's mood improved significantly. Their next stop was N Seoul Tower. Mark had been living in Korea for almost a year now and he never had a chance to visit the famous 360-degree deck that offered an entire view of the city.

"Wow!" Mark exclaimed, as he eyed the railings and fences of the tower covered with "padlocks of love'. He couldn't stop to admire how the padlocks covered other seven tree-shaped frames that looked like giant Christmas trees. The excited American didn't seem to care about the weather anymore. He quickly grabbed his boyfriend by the arm and led him to sit on one of the heart-shaped chairs, which were also full of love messages and scribbles. Snow started to fall from the sky as the couple held hands and quietly beheld the lovely decorations atop Namsan Mountain.

"Many couples come to this tower to promise each other everlasting love by locking padlocks all over this place. We can lock our souls together if the key to unlock them is never found. Wanna try it?" Jinyoung said as he removed a padlock from the pocket of his coat. Mark gave him an expectant look. Then his expression changed into one of guilt.

"I thought we were one already. By the way, shouldn't we do this with Jackson here?" The American muttered, a bit uncertain. "We can come here again and affix a Markjinson padlock to the rails. We're a triad after all, right?"

"Well, yeah. But it doesn't mean that we have to do everything together. Not even average couples work like that. You shouldn't feel guilty for being here only with me. There will always be moments in which two of us might have a free schedule while the other is too busy and unable to join the others in a nice adventure, or a little trip somewhere." Jinyoung pointed out.

"Do you think he won't mind?" The older hesitated.

"Mark, imagine if some model magazine invites you for a fashion week in Milan, or something. Then imagine that Jack and I have free schedules. Would you be mad if he and I went to Jeju Island together?"

"No." Mark replied honestly. "I mean, I have no idea where Jeju is. But I'd still wish I could come with you guys. And perhaps, I would wonder why you two couldn't wait till I'm free so we could all go together." He added, trying not to sound too selfish. Jinyoung gave him a knowing smile.

"Well, in that case, I could go to Milan with you and join Jack back at Jeju later." The younger winked at him. Mark huffed.

"Just don't let him hear that. I don't want him to feel left out. He would probably wonder why we wouldn’t invite him to Milan." The American warned his boyfriend. The younger could almost picture him complaining like a little kid.

"You know how parents keep saying they love their children equally, but deep down they usually have one favorite child? I mean, they even claim that they love their children for different reasons, but their excuses are quite questionable?" Jinyoung asked out of the blue.

"Tell me about it. I truly know how it feels like to be the less favored son." Mark shook his head in frustration. "Why are you suddenly bringing this up now? Don't tell me you're already thinking about having kids." He raised an eyebrow at the young Lim.

"No way! You're missing the point, baby. Look, I'm trying to make an analogy here. You see, even though one child is clearly more 'loved' than the other, it doesn't mean their parents are going to stop loving or abandon their other kid, right?" Jinyoung asked, hoping his boyfriend could follow him.

"Jinyoung, where are you going with this?" Mark frowned at him, as he bit his lower lip nervously. He felt abandoned by Dorine once. Actually, he somewhat felt abandoned by his parents several times. He remembered how even Joey used to feel uncomfortable about that.

"I'm dating you and Seunnah. I love you two for different reasons. I would never explicitly claim that I care more about him, or more about you." Jinyoung paused and sighed. He seemed to struggle to convey something with his eyes, so he continued. "But, imagine the scenario of the parents with two kids again. And imagine that in this relationship, you would be the favorite one." Jinyoung stated firmly. Mark eyed him blankly, trying to register what the younger was trying to say to him. Then he clenched his teeth.

"You're saying I'm the special one." Mark narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend. Jinyoung couldn't tell if that was a good sign, but he nodded to him.

"You'll always be my special one." The Korean declared softly.

"Well, I know how it feels like being the less special one, and I wouldn't want that for Jack." Mark retorted. "Oh, wow, you love me more! Do you expect me to thank you for that?"

"No! Of course not. What are you talking about?" Jinyoung swallowed. He couldn’t believe he had made one more mistake that night.

"Did you resurrect this throuple because you thought that sooner or later I would cheat on you with Jack? Or you suddenly thought that the only way you could keep me more or less 'monogamous' was bringing him into this relationship?" The older looked upset now, as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.

"Mark, no. Wait." Jinyoung whispered.

"You don't actually want the three of us together, do you? You want me all to yourself." The American accused, as he stood up and crossed his arms around his chest. "This is not okay, Jinyoung. It's not fair on him, it's fucked up!"

"Babe, come here. That's not what I'm trying to say." Jinyoung sighed and reached for his hand. Mark unwillingly allowed his lover to pull him back to his side. He sat back on the chair and avoided looking him in the eye.

"You're under my skin, Mark." Jinyoung declared as he touched the scar on his hand. "You're inside me. You run through my veins, remember? Our bodies are fully merged, our souls are eternally wed." The younger added part of the vows they didn't swear by the moon during their ceremony months ago.

"Jinyoung." Mark mumbled, but he meant to say something more.

"I don't mind if I'm not the favorite one in your eyes. I'm satisfied with being just one of your boyfriends. If you're happy, I am happy. If that's a crime, sue me." The Korean confessed. The older sighed.

"Same here." Mark finally said. Jinyoung stared at him, waiting. Then he continued. "Just don't tell him. I swear to God, Park Lim Jinyoung, do not repeat this to anyone, or I-"

"I am the favorite child, right?" The anxious younger cut him off abruptly.

"Do I really have to say it out loud?" Mark sounded a bit reticent as he looked away.

"You can lie to me if that makes you feel better." Jinyoung said in a serious tone.

"You're my favorite everything." The blushing American said at once, and this time he didn't avoid his gaze. The Korean looked pleased.

"Markie, my dearest, I already know that. I just wanted you to know we're on the same page." Jinyoung smirked and wrapped an arm around his waist. The American sighed one more time.

"If we ever get into an stupid argument, even if we intend to really hurt each other, he cannot know. You cannot tell him. Ever." Mark warned his boyfriend with a serious look.

"Come on. You know me better than that. I won’t fail him again. I'll protect Seunnah's feelings like a loving mother. He's still my son, okay? Loving you doesn't nullify my love for him." Jinyoung assure him and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Shit, this analogy sucks. Stop saying we’re your children. It sounds weird!” Mark declared. “I love him too and I don’t want him to leave us either... But, won't you get jealous? Ever?" Mark inquired curiously.

"Did I look jealous when I saw you sucking his dick earlier on our bed?" Jinyoung gave him a challenging look.

"No." Mark stated quickly.

"You wanted me to?" Jinyoung furrowed his brows and studied his face.

"Of course not, Jinyoung." The American rolled his eyes at him. "But I don't want you to get hurt whenever you see us together." He added, as he moved away some strands of the younger's hair away from his eyes. Those magnetic eyes Mark could read so well now.

"I won't. He's ours, and we are his. That sounds fair to me. No rules about tops or bottoms. You can have Seunnah anytime you want, and so do I. It doesn't get better than this. Mine is yours, babe." Jinyoung said shamefully. Mark gave him a light punch on his shoulder. Then the younger teased him more, throwing Mark's own words back at him. "Besides, I'm gonna need some help in this relationship, anyways. Only Seunnah can put up with you sometimes."

"Jinyoung-ah!" The American protested and pouted.

"Just kidding, babe. I love to put up with you." Jinyoung giggled, as he scattered kisses all over his face. Mark tried to get away from him but he obviously loved the attention. When the younger ceased his shower of kisses, he rested his forehead against his lover's. "Shall we attach this MarkJin padlock here somewhere and confirm our pledge to be together forever?" Jinyoung suggested, with a gorgeous smile on his face.

"Sure. Forever is now, right?" Mark nodded to him and they both walked to one of the fences and locked their love padlock there.

"That’s more like it! Shouldn't we write something on it?" Jinyoung asked as he handed his boyfriend a marker.

"You came prepared, didn't you?" Mark looked surprised.

"I meant to take you here since we came back from my grandma's house. But we got too busy preparing for the debut." Jinyoung clarified. Mark nodded and smiled.

"What about 'Markjin Forever'? Wouldn’t it look good on our padlock? Mark suggested. His boyfriend agreed.

"Besides today’s date we could put something else on the back too." Jinyoung said, ready to throw away the key somewhere, so no one could ever unlock their love.

"I already know what we can write. Something to remember this wonderful Christmas Eve. A reminder of how we should live our lives to the fullest." Mark’s smile grew large.

“So, what’s gonna be?” The Korean asked curiously.

“Memento vivere.”

In January JYP Entertainment announced their new boy band. The group’s first EP and following album was tremendously well received by the Kpop fans. Got7 gained quick attention for the use of martial arts tricking and street dancing elements in their incredible live performances. Soon, the Japanese market took notice of them, and so did the whole world. They received awards and compliments. The seven boys had finally conquered their teenage dream, they had become successful artists. International Concerts, tours, appearance on TV shows and radio channels, little by little became routine for the group of friends. They tried to keep their personal lives in secret, but fans quickly learned more about them each day. It didn’t take long for their IGOT7s to notice the special connection of MarkJinSon, 2Jae or the genuine camaraderie of YugBam.

Years passed and Got7 started writing their own lyrics, producing their own music, creating their own choreographies and conquering more Ahgases all over the world. Jinyoung and JB still had conflicts with their grandfather, but as heirs of the company, they didn’t think they would have to put up with the old man for too long. Got7 also made unexpected famous friends. The ordinary soccer team of Kirin High, Bangtan Sonyeondan. They also got into the Kpop business and also conquered an army of fans. They had gotten older and wiser. The beefs between the two groups were forgotten. Whenever they crossed paths at some TV studio, they respectfully praised each other’s performance. Bambam’s romance with Taehyung didn’t last, but Jungkook and Yugyeom’s friendship did, as well as Jackson and Namjoon’s. They would still hang out with each other whenever they had a free schedule. Both groups were guests on the talk show ASC, hosted by Eric Nam. The idol was still doing well as a singer and as an entertainer. Got7 showed up on several episodes of the show, and it was clear to the fans how the Markson pair had a special chemistry with him. However, no one would ever know the true story that once developed behind the cameras. Eric became friends with the band, including Jinyoung. They were glad to hear the idol had patched things up with his parents. Eric’s father often appeared on TV varieties with him, and the man never failed to praise his son.

Got7’s families provided them all the emotional support the boys needed. Dorine, Grace and Tammy often visited Mark in Korea, they seemed to have grown closer, and whenever Got7 had a tour in America, a big pool party waited for the boys at the Tuans’ house. Mark still visited his father and brother’s graves whenever he had a chance to go to LA. Jinyoung and JB accompanied him sometimes, and so did Jackson. Dorine joined him once or twice. He was glad to show the members his favorite places in the city he was born. Actually, the three foreign members of the group started having more freedom to visit their home countries. Bambam and Jackson also became some sort of tour guides to the other members whenever Got7 toured Thailand or China. In these countries they were welcomed as kings.

Got7 like any other band had internal conflicts, difficult phases and disagreements. But their leader Lim Jaebeom was quick to fix the group’s problems, and at the end of the day, all the members would end up hugging it out for the sake of their harmony. 2jae had some ups and downs, but they remained together even though the company worried about their relationship. Markjinson was even more complicated. Rumors of a love triangle in Got7 filled the minds of fans, and even drove them to write fanfictions depicting the difficult relationship between their idols. The boys didn’t mind, they would usually laugh at it, and sometimes even ship each other in public. They knew all about ‘bias’, ‘bias wreckers’ and ‘OTPs’. They knew it was all part of the fun of being loved as a Kpop star.

Mark never imagined that moving to Korea would change his life so profoundly. He didn’t feel like a murderer anymore and he didn’t feel alone. He was happy with his two boyfriends and his extended family. He was proud of his job, and grateful that Got7 was able to bring joy to people’s lives. He didn’t take anything for granted. He knew he wasn’t forever, he knew his loved ones weren’t either. But their stories would never be erased. Their moments together were eternal in their memories. Got7’s music was part of their story and he was sure their work would outlive them. As long as their fans kept saying their names, and singing their songs, they would remain alive. For legends aren’t allowed to die, they echo through time and slowly acquire permanent vitality. They never perish or grow old. They are shrouded by the unfading immortality of love. _Ars longa, vita brevis._

FIN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, fellow readers, and friends!^^  
> This fic has come to an end indeed. Another long journey is finally over.  
> I must thank you all for reading, commenting, supporting and loving this humble story.  
> I know I terrorized many of you with my grammar mistakes, heinous editing, cliffhangers, excessive angst, constant bad news, and death of ships. Well, the title of the story should have prepared you for the worst, right?  
> LOL  
> Anyways, no need to feel depressed by these characters' pain anymore.  
> MarkJin, Markbeom, and Markson stans went through a lot with this one.  
> Hope you guys can forgive me someday for all the heart attacks these mercilessly insane chapters gave you all. I also hope this story could also bring some sort of entertainment to your lives.  
> I wish that each one of you stay safe and healthy during this pandemic. 2020 must get better at some point, right? Hang in there, everybody! Hwaiting!  
> Luv u all. Take care, yorubun! And till next time.  
> Carpe diem!<3

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure yet which pairing will be end game here...MarkJin/Markbum/Markson...They all steal my shipper heart!XD  
> Ahgases hwaiting!


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